A Tale to Tell
by Selene Tyler Smith
Summary: A young mother and her child find themselves in Middle Earth after a life-altering event in our world. Thorin and his company find them in need of help during an attack on the roadside. Seeing that the mother and her child are in need of protection, Thorin and his company take it upon themselves to protect the mother and child from further harm.
1. Begining of a Tale

**This is my first attempt at writing fanfiction for The Hobbit. So please be gentle while I try to figure my way through the Tolkien Lore. I started writing this fanfiction at the suggestion of my therapist. I had a very traumatic experience recently that has caused me to have to step away from writing my other fanfiction stories for the time being. If you follow any of those stories you can IM me for an explanation as to why I am leaving those stories alone for now. **

**So here we go.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Hobbit or any of its characters or events.**

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High in the sky a pale, full moon shines brightly. Not a single cloud in the sky blocked its light, nor the lights of the stars. The temperature was mild, with just a hint of humidity.

With the light from the moon and stars, a lonely mountain's shadow could be seen upon the horizon. This mountain held the dwarf kingdom of Erebor. Once thought to be lost to a dragon, the lights of many torches, by the entrance, tells a different story.

The kingdom of Erebor has flourished since being reclaimed by the dwarves. Ruled by a King and a Queen, the kingdom has finally become as great as it was before. Erebor's wealth came from trades in gold, weapons, jewels, and other crafts of the inhabitants. Its halls filled with dwarves, dwarrowdams, and dwarflings.

It is in these vast halls that a cry is heard from at least two of the young inhabitants. Their cries echoing down the hall from the royal wing.

A door opens from one of the many rooms in the royal wing. Soft footsteps echo down the hall. The maker of these footsteps is a young female. She only stands at 4 foot 10 inches in height. Her body slimmer than a dwarfs for she was a daughter of the race of Men. Light brown hair, in a single braid, hangs to her mid back. Her eyes are a dark brown color, with long dark eyelashes that fan out perfectly when her eyes are closed. She is wearing an ankle length night gown with a dark blue robe to cover it. A gold color sash keeps the robe closed at the waist. There are no shoes upon her bare feet.

She comes to a stop, four doors down from the door she came out of. Quietly, she opens the door and enters the royal nursery.

The royal nursery consists of a small main room that houses a lot of toys, a fireplace with a rug a few feet in front of it, and no less than three rocking chairs. The main room is circular in shape and there are four doors that are spaced evenly along the walls. The fireplace (with a small but bright fire going) sits at the end of the row of doors, and off to the right of the main entrance door. It is the closest door, on the left, that the young female heads towards.

Opening it carefully, she sees not one, but two, of the small inhabitants of the room awake in their beds. The older of the two inhabitants looks at the young female, while she goes over to the crib to pick up the youngest. The oldest is a young male, not even 4 years old, and the youngest is not even a year old and female. (If you used the race of Men as means to count their ages.) The male dwarfling has thick golden brown hair with a slight curl at the ends. His eyes, are the famous Durin blue color, but has a hint of mischief in them. The female dwarfling has a coat of blond hair covering her head with barely 5 inches in length. She has the same eye color as her older brother.

Upon seeing the older female pick up his sister, he decides that now is the time to crawl out of his bed. He makes his way from his bed, across the small bedroom, to where the older female is.

"Where is _**Amad**_ and _**Adad**_?" he whispers, his little voice slightly hoarse from his own crying. He cuddles into the older females robe as she settles the whimpering little girl into her arms. He lets go of the robe and steps back to look up at female.

"They are not here tonight, Balder. In two more days, your _**Amad**_ and _**Adad**_ will be back." The brunette female replies before she begins to move towards the youngest ones dresser. The crib and a small dresser sit side by side on the left side of the room. The boy's bed sits on the right side with a small dresser next to it. A fireplace, just barely lit, sits next to the door that leads back into the main room.

"What about Uncle? Is he here, Aliena?" Balder asks as he watches Aliena open a drawer one handed.

"He is here, but like everyone else is sleeping. You should be as well." Aliena replies as she pulls out a fresh cloth to use. She closes the dresser drawer, and heads back to the main room.

Balder is quick to follow her out of the bedroom. He may be his father's son, but that doesn't mean that he can't be afraid of the dark. Especially after being woken up by his little sister from his nightmare. He makes his way towards the deep brown and red rug that sits near the fireplace. Aliena is already there on the rug with his little sister to begin changing the soiled diaper cloth. He sits next to Aliena and listens as she hums a tune he doesn't recognize. His little sister begins to coo and attempts to roll away after the dirty diaper cloth is taken away.

"Freya, you must stay still." Balder says softly to his sister. Even though she is but a babe, he still thinks that she should listen to him.

Aliena finishes the changing and blows softly on Freya's belly before glancing at Balder. "Can you keep an eye on her so that I can place the dirty cloth into the laundry?" Quickly standing up, with the offending cloth in her hand, Aliena makes her way to the fourth door in the line of doors.

Balder watches as Aliena enters the bathroom, before glancing back down at his sister. Freya has somehow brought her right foot up to her mouth and is chewing on her toes. After a few moments, the sound of a door opening catches Balder's attention. Looking up he sees two of the other inhabitants of the nursery.

It is these two males that has the line of Erebor secure. It was by some miracle that Balder's aunt had twins almost 7 years ago. Both have deep blue eyes, like their father. It is in the shade of the hair colors that set the two boys apart. Frerin is the older of the two, with dark brown hair that almost looks black. He is wide in the shoulders and is currently only 3 feet 5 inches tall. His younger twin, Durin, has dark brown hair as well but in the sunlight you can see glimpses of a red hint to it. Like his older brother, Durin is also 3 feet 5 inches tall, but has narrow shoulders. Both boys can pass as a full blooded dwarfling.

"What has you up this early cousin?" Frerin asks as the two boys walk over towards their cousins.

"Freya had a dirty diaper." Balder states in a shy manner. Even though the twins are his cousins, both carry an air of authority around them.

It is at this point that Aliena comes back into the main room to find not just two but four children on the rug. "What are you two doing up as well? By Mahal, is every child in this nursery going to stay awake all night?"

"Calm down _**namad**_. It isn't like we wanted to be awake. Freya's crying woke us up." Durin and Frerin answered at the same time.

"Well you best be headed back to bed. All of you." Aliena said with as much authority as a twelve year old could. No sooner as those words left Aliena's mouth the third door in the line of doors opened up to reveal two female children. The older (about 5 years old in the race of Men) has bright red hair and brown eyes. The younger (about 2 years old in the race of Men) has brown hair and green eyes.

"Great, now every single royal child is awake. I swear all of you are co-conspirators in waking up in the dead of the night." Aliena grumbles as she walks over to collect Freya from the floor. Picking the babe up from the floor, she walks over to one of the rocking chairs that is closest to the fireplace. Aliena carefully sits down in the chair and tries to settle Freya in her arms.

Frerin, Durin, Balder, and the other two children walk over to where Aliena is, before sitting themselves on the floor.

"Tell us a story _**namad**_." Asks Durin who is sitting to the right of Aliena's feet. Next to him is his brother Frerin.

"Please Aliena." Pleads Balder, who is sitting to the left of Aliena's feet. He tries his best to give her his puppy dog eyes. He has seen his uncle use this with his aunt and decides to give it a try on his cousin.

Seeing all of the younger children giving her the infamous puppy dog eye look, Aliena nods her head in agreement.

"Very well. A story it is, but which one would you like to hear?" Aliena asks the group.

"The Battle of the Five Armies!" is shouted by the red haired female who sits across from where Aliena is sitting. With the sister sitting next to her.

"Not that again Kelda." Frerin shouts from his spot on the floor. "You get too excited at the Ravenhill part of the story."

"I do not!" Kelda shouts back at Frerin as her face turns red with embarrassment.

"New story?" Kelda's sister, Toril, asks softly before placing her thumb into her mouth.

"Yes, I think a new story can be told tonight." Aliena thought carefully before making the decision. "This story might take several nights to tell though."

"We don't mind _**namad**_. Just tell us something new for once." Durin said before any of the other children could speak.

Taking a deep breath, Aliena asks the group of children, "Have you ever heard the story of how my mother and I came here?"

"That isn't a new story, Aliena. Everyone knows _**Adad**_ brought _**Amad**_ and you here with the company." Frerin states confidently.

"I am not talking about that. I am talking before our arrival to Erebor. Mother and I first met papa when he had already begun his quest for Erebor." Seeing that she had all of the children's attention and none of them were interrupting, Aliena begins to tell her tale.

Unknown to the children in the nursery, a woman stands in the hall outside of the door to the main room. She listens carefully as her daughter begins to tell her tale.

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**Well there it is folks. The first of many chapters of this tale. The rest of the tale will be told from Aliena's mother's point of view until the very end. I do hope you all enjoy this and please let me know if I make a mistake with the Tolkien lore. Most of the names I used for the children came from lore or from Old Norse names. The only name that isn't is Aliena, which is what I named my daughter. And yes, Aliena's character is based off of what my daughter looks like.**

**Please leave reviews, suggestions, or any kind of constructive criticism. **

**Selene**


	2. Welcome to Middle Earth

**Thank you to all who are following this story. Thank you to all who have favorite this story. I do hope that you all enjoyed the first chapter. So without keeping you all waiting in anticipation, here is the second chapter. Remember, from here on out the story is told through Aliena's mother's point of view. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit or its characters or events.**

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The first thing I feel is the solid ground beneath me as I start to wake. It is soft and covered with tall grass that currently is tickling my face. I open my dark brown eyes only to have the bright sunlight it them. I close my eyes again and count to ten before attempting to open them again. As my eyes begin to focus, I see tree branches overhead. Slowly I turn my head left to see bushes and trees. Then I turn my head to the right to see tall grass and possibly a road of sorts. I slowly begin to sit up from my place on the ground.

Now with a taller advantage point, I see that yes there is a road off to the right. However, that is not the only thing. My four year daughter is laying on the ground not 4 feet from where I am. She is still dressed in her Snow White costume from Halloween. The red headband that was in her golden brown hair seems to be missing as well. I glance down at myself and notice that I too am still wearing my costume as well. I had chosen to dress in a cheap version of a mid- 1500s dress. I do a quick check to make sure that my jeans and fake leather boots are still there. Which they are, thank goodness. My dark brown hair has decided that it has had enough with its design. I originally had half of my hair pulled back in a braid with the rest of it flowing underneath the said braid. Well the braid is no longer smooth and has pieces of hair sticking out. My bangs are at least somewhat tamed.

I slowly attempt to stand up when I feel all my abused muscles ache with pain. I do not let that stop me from making my way towards my daughter who is now starting to stir. She will most likely be feeling some pain as well. Especially since there is a bruise starting to form at the front of her neck. I am sure that I will have one there as well.

Kneeling down to her level, I try to help her wake up.

"Aliena? Sweetheart are you okay?" I gently place a hand on her stomach to let her know that I was beside her. "Aliena. Sweetie, you have to get up now. We have to find a way out of this forest." I am beginning to worry for her safety and mine. Who knows how long we have been here, but as soon as we get out of here I plan to head straight to the police to file a report.

She slowly begins to open her brown eyes, and they begin to fill with tears. I know that look, for it is the same one that I have seen in the mirror for the past four and a half years.

"It's okay, mama is here. He isn't going to hurt us anymore. I won't let him. It's okay." I tell Aliena to help keep her calm. I slowly lift her into my lap and wrap my arms around her. "Ssshhhh. I got you. I will never let you go." I kiss the top of her head as she trembles in my arms.

After a few minutes of tears, Aliena leans back to look at me.

"You hurt to mommy?" She asks me with a tear stained face.

I know she can see the bruise on my neck and possibly even the ones poking out from under the fabric of my dress at the shoulders and top part of my chest.

"No sweetie. I am not hurt." I hate to lie to her but I need her to be calm so that I can figure out where we are. "How about we head over to that road there and walk. Maybe there is a city or town or even a gas station along the road somewhere."

Aliena begins to smile. Ah yes, a gas station to her means a possible Slurpee or a treat of some kind. I quickly get to Aliena to her feet before I stand up as well. Hand in hand we walk another 6 maybe 8 feet to the road. I quickly notice that it is a dirt road that is only perhaps 6 feet wide at most. Perfect, so there will be no hitchhiking from motorists.

"Well should we go left or right?" I ask Aliena since we are standing along-side, facing the road.

"Left."

"Okay, left it is then."

We begin walking on the road. I watch the landscape and try to memorize certain features so that I can use those descriptions for the police report. Minutes tick by and it feels like we have been walking for at least an hour or two. Aliena is becoming tired since her pace has slowed down a lot. Under all this foliage, I can't tell where exactly the sun is. I wish we would come across a meadow or some kind of opening so that I could use the sun to get my sense of direction.

"How about we stop for a rest okay?" I look down at Aliena for her response. She nods her head and stops walking. I wish I had some water or something for her to drink. However the thought quickly leaves my mind as I hear something coming down the road. Sounds like someone else is walking the trail as well.

There are a few male voices coming down the road. Very boisterous and not at all sounding to friendly. I remember the advice my four older brothers had told me about when I was young. If it sounds male and you are alone, hide until you can be sure your person is safe. Looking at my daughter, I make a decision that I just might regret.

"Aliena I want you to go hide over there in those bushes." I explain to her as I point out some shrubs about 10 feet off the road to our left. "Please do not say a word or make a sound until I tell you it is safe, okay?" Aliena nods her head and quickly walks over to wear I was pointing. Thank goodness that for a four year old, she has a good head on her shoulders.

So here I stand at the side of the road, waiting to see who is coming around the bend. I didn't have to wait long to see five men walking together in a group. Oh dear god, what kind of clothes are they wearing? I don't have much time since one of them sees me.

"Well, look at what we have here boys. Looks to be a lady, with no escort, horse, wagon, or guards." Says one the one with the greying hair.

"How about we help the lady out fellas?" says the red haired one.

"I don't want any trouble." I tell the men. I am already moving into a defensive stance. With four older brothers I learned how to defend myself using anything that is available. And that right now was my fists and possibly my legs. "I am just trying to figure out where I am. So if you could be so kind as to point me in the direction of the nearest town or city that would be appreciated."

"We couldn't let a delicate flower such as yourself walk around here all alone. What do you fellas think?" Says the grey haired one again.

On this is not good, not good at all. The five of them move to surround me. I am not liking this one bit. The first one to make a move was the red haired one. A quick upper cut to his face sends him reeling to my left. Another one, a blond I think, moves quickly and grabs my left wrist. I kick a foot towards his ribs and he doubles over but doesn't let go of my wrist. Another takes his chance and comes from behind me to grab me so that his arms are around my stomach. I bring a leg up and back to attempt to kick his private bits. Direct hit, and he lets me go, but I still have this asshole holding onto my wrist. I swing out to try and knock his hand off of me.

"Well, looks like the lady has some spirit in her. How about we break her of it?" I hear one of the dark haired ones say from my right side.

I feel pain as a fist makes contact with my face. I stumble backwards, and one of the other dark haired men grabs my upper arms with a tight grip.

"Let me have the first go with the lady." Says the red haired man.

I swallow hard and shake my head trying to rid myself of the pain. The bastard might have broken my nose. After a few shakes of my head I look dead ahead at the red head. "I wouldn't try it if I were you. Last man who tried got his man bits cut off." This is a lie of course, but I am willing to say anything to try and scare these guys away.

"Oh well you see. There are five of us and only one of you. The odds are not in your favor. I suggest to sit back and let us have yea." Says the grey hair.

"Not in your life mister." I reply.

"Hold on to her tight boys, she is going to give us quite the ride."

This is the point where I scream out. For help or for someone to come to my aid. I try with all my might to try and pull myself out of two of the men's grasps. Just as the grey hair pulls up the skirt, I hear the sound of hooves coming from around the opposite way of the road. Then I see five ponies charging towards us and some kind of battle cry coming from the riders.

I am pushed into the red haired man's arms, in an attempt to pull me off to the side of the road and towards the trees. Lucky for me he stumbles over a log and both of us fall into the grass. I quickly roll on top of him before punching him in the face so hard that he is knocked out. Before I can even get up off of the slug someone else grabs my arm and pulls me up. I swing my left fist towards whoever is holding my right arm. However, my fist is caught by some male with tattoos on his head. He is shorter than me by five maybe six inches.

"Easy now lass. Wouldn't want you hitting someone who has rescued you now." He says with a hard look on his face.

"Dwalin. Let the woman go." A voice calls out from behind where we are standing.

I look over my shoulder to see a short, red haired man stand with a bloodied axe in his hand. "Are yea alright lassie?" He asks.

"Do I look alright?" I reply before Dwalin lets go of my fist. "I have woken up god knows where and attacked by some perverted men. No sir I am not alright. I am beyond comprehension as to what the bloody hell is going on." By this point I have walked all the way back onto the road.

"Well lassie, you will be alright now." Dwalin says before walking over to a pony.

I give Dwalin my best, uh huh face, before realizing that Aliena is out in the bushes. "Oh god. Aliena!" I shout as a run over to the bushes where I had sent my little girl.

"She isn't there lass. She is back with the main group." A baritone voice comes from behind me.

I turn around to see a man, about 5 inches shorter than I am, wiping his sword clean with some grass. He has dark almost black hair with a light thin streak of grey on either side of his head.

"What do you mean, she is with the main group. If you so much as touched her I will cut off your man bits and make a necklace out of them." At this point I don't care if fought off my attackers. If anyone harms my daughter, they will feel my wrath.

"Do you know it is unkind to threaten those who come to your aid?" This man replies as he walks towards me. His blue eyes locking with mine in a deadly glaring contest. "What is your name woman?" he commands.

I keep his stare as I reply, "Inara. Now take me to my daughter. Now."

The man lets out a humph before turning to the other four members of his group. "Go back to the group and bring them this way. We will make camp further up the road."

The three of the four members leave to go get this group this man is talking about. Dwalin stays behind holding the reigns to two ponies.

"You asked me my name, now what is yours?" I ask him as we both walk back to Dwalin and the two ponies.

"Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror at your service." He replies as he takes the reigns of his pony from Dwalin. "We will scout for a safe place to make camp tonight." Thorin says as he climbs up onto the pony. Holding out a hand toward me he says "Do you know how to ride on a pony with another rider?"

Of course I know how to ride a horse by myself and with another person on as well. Looking at Dwalin then back at Thorin I let out a sigh as I take Thorin's hand. He helps lift me up so that I ride behind him on the pony.

Soon we begin to move down the road in the opposite direction as the three others went. I worry for Aliena's safety as the slow swaying from the pony reminds me of our distance from each other.

"Were those men responsible for that bruise on your neck, shoulders, and chest lass?" Dwalin asks as he is now looking at me with interest.

"No. It was someone else who gave me these marks." I reply as I try to keep myself balanced on the pony. I refuse to hold onto anything in case I need to make a quick escape.

"And the bruise on your daughter's neck? Who caused it?" Dwalin asks with a bit of anger behind it.

"If you must know, it was her father that gave us these bruises." I state with as much hatred as I could put into those words.

"Why would he do that?" This time it is Thorin who asks me a question.

"Because he is an asshole. Him and his family. They love power and control and they thought that I would fall prey to them. Well, I didn't but it has cost me much to keep myself and Aliena safe from them. If they had their way, both her and I would be dead."

"What!" Both Dwalin and Thorin yell.

I can see Dwalin has his pony's reigns held in tight fists before he looks over at me. "Women and children are meant to be protected and cherished. Not hurt or killed. Where can I find these disgraceful people?"

"I don't know. My daughter and I woke up in a small glade of grass by the road. I have no idea how we got there or where we even are." I begin to fiddle with the sleeve of my dress. Surprisingly my dress only has a small cut in it at the bottom of the skirt.

"We are on the great east road. About a day's ride away from Bree." Thorin responds.

Letting my curiosity get the better of me I ask them both a single question. "So what are you? You are quite small in height compared to my five foot five inches. You are also very broad in body."

"We are dwarves Inara. As for our lack of height, most dwarves only reach between four and a half to five feet tall." Thorin states as if he is proud of the facts he has just told me.

"Wait a minute. Dwarves? Oh great. Next you will be telling me that elves exist here too." I throw enough sarcasm into my voice that Dwalin glances back at me.

"Of course elves exist. Just where have you been living lass?"

"Several different places really. I try hard not to stay in one place for too long." I reply looking at Dwalin. "I jump from place to place to keep myself and Aliena safe, but it seems that wasn't enough to keep her father away from us."

Both dwarves go quiet for a while as we keeping heading down the road. It isn't long before we come to a stop. Dwalin gets off his pony first before Thorin and I get off of our pony. All three of us walk towards the edge of the road and head out into a small clearing that sits in front of a large boulder. You can still see the roads from it but you are far enough away so that no one would notice you were there.

"We will make camp here for the night." Thorin says looking at Dwalin, who has managed to climb up onto the top of the boulder.

"I agree" Dwalin says from his perch up on the top of the boulder. "Up here gives up enough of a lookout spot in all directions. However, it doesn't give us much cover."

"Agreed. Inara, what do you know about hunting or starting a fire?" Thorin asks me as I tie the ponies to a low branch of a nearby tree.

"I know enough." I reply as I begin to take off the saddles and packs from both ponies. This causes the two dwarves to look at each other with a look of astonishment. "I use to go camping with my four brothers and eighteen male cousins. It used to be a big family get-together. I never bothered staying with my female cousins, my aunts, or my mom. I preferred hanging with the boys."

I grab the packs off the saddles, after placing them a few feet on the ground away from the ponies. Walking back over to the speechless dwarves, I hand them their packs before clearing a spot in the grass to build a fire. Fire safety 101, make a 3-4 foot patch of dirt by removing the grass before building a fire.

"Looks like the lass has everything under control, Thorin. Perhaps we should wait by the road for the company to arrive." Dwalin places a hand on Thorin's shoulder and the two walk toward the road.

It only takes me a short time to clear a spot and find some fire wood close by. By the time the company arrives at the road, I have a small fire going strong in the dirt patch.

"Mommy!"

I look up to see Aliena running towards me, slightly tripping on the skirt of her dress. I run towards her as well and catch her in my arms. Both of us falling to the ground on our knees, shedding happy tears as we cling to each other. After a few moments a small cough has me opening my eyes to see a large group of dwarves looking at us.

"I hate to interrupt this special moment, my dears, but I believe introductions are in order." A tall man wearing all grey says leaning gently on his staff.

I quickly wipe the tears from my eyes then proceed to do the same to Aliena's eyes. Standing up from where I am kneeling, I clear my throat before saying, "I am Inara and this is my daughter Aliena."

All of the dwarves soon introduced themselves. Gloin, Fili, and Kili I recognize from the road encounter earlier in the day. The others were easy enough to memorize who was who. Bombur, Bifur, and Bofur are all related, somehow. Oin is Gloin's brother. Dori, Nori, and Ori are also brothers. Balin was Dwalin's brother. Then there is Thorin of course, who happens to be Kili and Fili's uncle. A hobbit named Bilbo and Gandalf the Grey who is a wizard. I will have no trouble with their names; however, Aliena most certainly will. It also seems to me that she likes to be around Bofur, Bombur, and Bifur.

After the introductions are made Kili, Dwalin, Thorin and Fili go out to hunt while the rest of us stay at camp. It isn't long, about two hours maybe, when the four of them return to camp with 16 rabbits. I am rather impressed by how many were caught. I offer to help Bombur prepare the evening meal and he blushes at my insistence to help. I cut a few vegetables to put roast over the fire on sticks. Once the meal is cooked I have Aliena help with passing out the food. All of the males are extremely kind towards Aliena, which helps keep my nerves in check.

Night has fallen by the time the meal is ate and any dishes are cleaned. Gandalf offered his spare bedroll to Aliena and myself for sleeping earlier in the evening. The dwarves are all setting their bedrolls down for the night.

"You and Aliena will sleep closer to the boulder." Thorin had told me while I was helping Bifur with cleaning the dishes earlier this evening.

"Okay. That seems like a logical position." I had told him. I don't know why it bothers it me so that these dwarves, who I barely know, seems to worry about Aliena and I's safety.

So here I am laying on my side with Aliena tucked up against me. Balin and Nori are taking first watch tonight and I can see them from where I lay. Kili and Fili are sitting down towards my feet smoking their pipes. Bofur and Bifur are up past where my head is. Bifur is carving something out of wood as Bofur talks. Immediately in front of Aliena and I is a few feet then the fire. The rest of the company is spread out around the other side of the fire. Looking out across the bedrolls of the others, my eyes find that Thorin is looking straight at me. He is standing in a half circle with Gandalf and Dwalin. Gandalf is saying something but Thorin doesn't respond till Dwalin hits him in the upper arm. I break eye contact with Thorin by rolling onto my back to stare up into the night sky. Aliena snuggles closer into my side and I pull the blanket that Bilbo gave me up around us. It isn't long when sleep finds me.

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**It took me a bit to write this in Inara's point of view. I tried to be descriptive and conscious as to how body movements are. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

**Please leave a review with suggestions or constructive criticism.**

**Selene**


	3. Heading to Bree

**Another chapter of this story. Since I haven't received any reviews (as I write this chapter), I will take that as a good sign that this story is a decent one. Thank you to all who are following or have made this story a favorite. I can only hope that I can continue meeting your expectations for this story.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit, its characters or and of its events.**

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Dawn is just starting to make itself known when I wake up from my dreamless sleep. I am still on my back, and I can feel that Aliena has shifted slightly away from me during the night. I blink a few times to help my eyes adjust to the sky beginning to lighten. I inhale deeply before letting out a slow breath and stretch out some of my sore back muscles. I can hear the snores of the sleeping dwarves mix with the bird songs as I start to slowly sit up. I glance to my left and what I find there is rather surprising.

It would seem that Thorin and Balin had placed their bedrolls between mine and the fire during the night. Both of them are still asleep, I believe. The fire is still going with the wood a soft red colors with the charcoal black. I notice Gandalf walking towards the fire with a few more pieces of firewood before he notices that he is not the only one that is awake. He gives me a smile and waves for me to come towards him.

I carefully remove myself from the blanket and cover Aliena up more with it. Walking carefully between the sleeping dwarves, I make my way over to him.

"Good morning dear." Gandalf says with a slight chuckle in his voice. "Did you sleep well?"

"Morning." I say softly before placing a hand in front on my mouth to cover a yawn. "A dreamless sleep isn't always helpful Gandalf. I feel like I should still be sleeping but my body says otherwise."

Gandalf chuckles softly as he places some firewood into the fire. He pulls out his pipe, preparing it for the smoking he plans on doing.

"You know smoking can kill you." I tell him as I sit down on one of the saddles that someone had put there the night before. I rub my hands up and down my arms in a vain attempt to warm them. I would guess that the temperature is about 64 degrees Fahrenheit, so it is still a bit chilly to be without a jacket.

Gandalf begins to smoke his pipe before looking down at me. "If smoking can kill me, then why am I not dead yet." There is a little twinkle in his eyes. "I know you are not from here, Inara. Thorin told me of the conversation that you had with him and Dwalin. I must admit, I am perplexed as to how you came to be here. Never-the-less, you can trust that Thorin and his company will see you safely to Bree."

"That is kind of them, but I would not know what to do from there. I mean, yes I could find work there; but how would I fit in. I mean have you seen my clothes. Yes I may look like a lady, but this is just a costume to wear for a holiday. Even Aliena's dress is a costume. Also the customs here are so different. I could easily offend someone and not know it." I look away from Gandalf and pull my legs up to my chest. "I truly do not know what to do."

Gandalf sits down next to me and pokes at the fire. "How about you tell me everything that has happened to you and your child. Then, perhaps, we can find a solution to your problem."

I feel the tears build up in my eyes as I close them. Never before has someone asked me to tell my problems with no judgement or ignorance. I take a deep breath before I begin to speak. I tell him how I grew up with my four brothers and that I was the youngest. That two of my brothers had died in a senseless war due to retaliation and greed for more money and power. How my father took his own life after he lost his job after having to bury my two brothers. The other two brothers had walked away from the family, never to be heard from. Mom having to be placed in a home after having a mental breakdown. Up until this point I hadn't noticed the company had woken up but hadn't left their beds yet.

I took a deep, shuddering breath before continuing on. Gandalf placed his hand on my shoulder and nodded his head for me to continue. I spoke of how at the age of 18 I found myself homeless with no one in the family willing to take me in. So I lived on the streets till Aliena's father came into my life. He was kind and helped me. It wasn't till later on that I had realized that it was all a show, a game. There was the part that was the hardest for me to tell anyone, but Gandalf's presence gave me the strength that I needed.

"It was my twentieth birthday when it all came crashing down." I began with my voice shaking. "Unlike most people at that age, I didn't drink alcohol, so I was perfectly sober when it happened. It was late in the day, about supper time. He had come to the place that I was staying. He seemed normal, until he started yelling at me. Telling me he blamed me for him losing his job. I could tell he was high on some kind of drug. I told him to leave before he did something he regretted. I had turned my back for one moment and that was all it took for him. He slammed me into a wall, face first. Everything went black for a while, and when I came to he was clawing at my clothes. Any time I tried to scream he would hit me. It was then that he forced himself on me. It was so painful between that and his beatings that I passed out. I went to the police afterwards and they refused to do anything. I later found out that it was because of his being a former police officer that held back the charges. It was at this point that I ran. I ran for many months and soon I had noticed that I was pregnant. I made a promise to myself after I had given birth to her. I would not allow him anywhere near us. Well, that didn't happen. His family had been stalking me the whole time. I think that is how he found us."

My tears were flowing hard down my face as Gandalf gave me a cloth to wipe them away.

"You don't need to tell me anymore Inara. I can see from the marks he left on you and Aliena that you are lucky to be alive." Gandalf softly said. "There is a creek just over there," he pointed towards where the ponies were. "You can use it to freshen up a bit."

I nodded my head and got up. I made my way towards the area with the creek as I heard the dwarves begin to move about. How long I sat along that creek I have no idea. It wasn't till Oin sat next to me with a piece of bread and some sausage that I realized just how late in the morning it was.

"We all heard what you said lass." Oin says softly handing me the bread and sausage. "It isn't right for a male to force himself on a female. If you would like, I can give you a poultice to help with the bruises." He pointed to my neck, shoulders, and chest.

"Thank you Oin. Can you tell the others that I will be there in a minute?" My voice hoarse from not being used.

"That I will lass. We will keep an eye on the wee one till you are ready to join us." He got up and made his way back.

I ate the bread and sausage slowly to keep it from coming back up. Upon finishing, I used the creek water to wash my hands and splash my face with the cool water. I let my hair out of what was left of the braid and ran my hands gently through it. I decided that for today I would let my hair stay loose.

As I made my way back to camp I noticed Kili and Fili putting the saddles onto the ponies. Fili looked up from tightening a saddle and quickly thumped Kili on the chest with his hand. Kili looked up from his pony and both nodded their heads at me as I walk pass them. I stop briefly giving them a small smile before continuing on my way.

"Mommy! I missed you." Aliena says to me as she collides with my legs.

"I missed you too sweetie. Did you eat?" I look down at her with a big smile on my face.

"Yes mommy." Aliena says with a smile on her face. Bringing her hand up I see a beautiful wooden horse. "Look at what Bifur made me. I am calling him thunder."

"A fine name for a fine horse. Did you tell Bifur thank you?"

Aliena runs over to Bifur and gives the dwarf a hug as she tells him thank you. Poor Bifur, his face is now turning a deep red color. Bofur, who is standing next to Bifur starts to laugh and begins to tease Aliena.

I smile at the sight of seeing burly dwarves being all kind and gentle with my daughter. It isn't long before some of the others start to laugh. Especially since Aliena hasn't let Bifur go from her hug.

"She can ride with Bifur or Bofur if you wish."

Thorin's voice causes me to just a little since I had not known that he was standing next to me. I turn to the right to look at him before I answer. "It is fine with me. It seems that Bifur and Bofur are quite taken with Aliena."

"Of course they would. They are toymakers in trade. It makes them happy to see children smile and enjoy the toys they make." Thorin replies with a hint of a smile on his face.

"So who will I be riding with today?" I ask him carefully. He is the leader of this company, so it would naturally fall to him to make the decision.

"If you wish you may continue to ride with me, or you can ride with any of the others if you choose to."

"Perhaps I should ride with Bilbo. The poor lad probably doesn't know how to handle a pony." I say with a cheekiness in my voice.

Thorin chuckles before heading over to Bilbo to let him know of the choice. Bilbo nods his head in agreement and looks towards me with a shy smile on his face.

It isn't long till we are back on the ponies and going down the road. Bilbo is sitting in front of me but I hold the reigns. Behind me I can hear the chuckles and laughter of Fili, Kili, Bofur, and Aliena. Bofur has Aliena with him in the exact way Bilbo and I are situated. Poor guys haven't figured it out that Aliena now has them wrapped around her little pinky finger. They will spoil her rotten if given the chance.

We ride for many hours and lunch is a handing out of jerky and bread. The only time we stop is when there is a need to relieve ourselves. Other than that we don't stop. We reach Bree by mid-afternoon which is a good thing. I think Aliena is getting restless sitting on the pony for so long. At the entrance of Bree we all climb down from our ponies. Aliena makes her way towards me and takes my hand. Balin, Thorin and Gandalf head off to the Prancing Pony to make arrangement for the night. Dwalin, Dori, Nori and Ori take the ponies towards the stables. The rest of us wander the streets looking at the vendors to see what is for sale.

"Bofur, you wouldn't happen to know where I might be able to find more suitable clothes for Aliena and I to wear do you?" I ask him as Aliena Bofur and myself have wandered away from the others.

"Aye, there should be a proprietors shop around the bend. How much gold have you got with yea lass?" Bofur replies.

Shit! I didn't realize that I was broke. How the hell can I provide for Aliena and I with no money? Bofur noticed my lack of a response.

"Don't worry lass, Thorin figured as much. Here, 30 gold coins for you and the little lass." Bofur takes my left hand and places a coin purse into it.

"How can I pay him back? I don't want to be indebted to someone." I reply in shock. Why would Thorin care about Aliena and I having no money?

"Best keep this a secret lass, but we all heard what you told the wizard this morning. It isn't right for a lass or a child to be without. So consider it a gift from us all." There is a mischievous glint in his eyes. "If you want I will be happy to escort you and the little lass during your shopping."

"Okay, I accept your gift master dwarf. Please tell everyone that I say thank you." I place my hand in front of my stomach and bow forwards a little.

Bofur snickers a little before leading Aliena and I to a shop.

It is twilight when Bofur, Aliena, and I make it back to the Inn. Both Aliena and I have traveling coats and cloaks lined with fur. Aliena has three pants, three skirts, two tunics, four blouses, two sets of boots, some under clothes and things, and pair of warm wool mittens. For myself I have three pants, two skirts, three tunics, three blouses, two corsets, a few under things, two sets of boots, and pair of mittens. I also purchased two bedrolls, a large heavy wool blanket, a light weight blanket, two packs, some soap and a few pieces of sturdy cloth. The proprietor agreed that all of the purchases would be taken to the inn before sun down.

Bofur had bought Aliena some kind of rock candy stick treat which she gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. Another dwarf left standing with a blush on his face today.

Both Ori and Nori are waiting for us at the entrance of the inn.

"Ahh there you all are. Thorin was able to get five rooms." Nori states as he hands a key to myself and Bofur. "You and the little lass will be in a room with Bilbo and Gandalf."

"Sounds like fun. Too bad I won't have dwarven snores to lull me to sleep." I say with a bit of a playful air. Nori and Bofur give big jolly laughs as Ori blushes red.

Nori opens the door and we all walk inside. Over in one of the corners I can make out most of our traveling companions. We head over to join them at the table. Seeing a lack of chairs, I place Aliena on my lap just as a plate of food is placed before me. Aliena takes food from my plate first before I even eat. It isn't lost on any of the dwarves that I am allowing her to have her fill before I eat. I ask the lady who is bringing more plates of food if I could get a cup of tea and a glass of milk for Aliena. The lady nods her head and goes back towards the kitchen.

The meal goes on with no real hurry and there is some merry chatter in our group. A little movement to my left catches my attention. Fili and Kili, who are sitting to my left, have pushed a plate towards me. On the plate is some meats, potatoes, bread, and few other vegetables. Kili, who is closer, leans over slightly before whispering, "Don't think Fili and I haven't noticed that you still haven't ate."

I look at the plate then I turn to look at both Fili and Kili. Both of them looking at me with a stern look. I let out a sigh before pulling the plate of food closer. I pick up a few bits of meat and chew on them slowly. I was never a fast eater; slow and steady is best.

Aliena lets out a yawn when some of the company quiet down. Bilbo tries to muffle a yawn as well.

"Inara, Bilbo and I will see Aliena back to our room. She will be perfectly safe." Gandalf says as he and Bilbo rise from their seats. "Besides, you still have yet to eat anything."

I am slightly hesitant in allowing Aliena to go alone, but seeing as she is just about to fall asleep I agree. I give Aliena a hug and kiss goodnight before promising her that I will be up there shortly. Aliena follows Gandalf as Bilbo attempts to carry her to the room.

"Do you not trust the wizard and the burglar?" Asks Gloin from across the table.

"It is not that I don't trust them with Aliena. It is just a fear of what could happen to her if I am not there to protect her." I reply before taking a bit of potato.

"Lassie, any one of us would put our life on the line to keep that little lass safe." Balin says from his place next to his brother.

"I am humbled by the meaning of your words, but I would not want you to sacrifice your life for myself or Aliena." I know very well that none of them will be staying in Bree with Aliena and I, so in effect it is an empty promise.

I finish my meal in silence as the dwarves around me talk amongst themselves. Dori, Ori, Bombur, Nori, Bifur, and Bofur all leave the table, saying their goodnights to the rest of us. The inn is starting to become empty now as it is getting late. I stand up from the table, pick up my dirty dishes and make my way towards the inns kitchen. Since there isn't much staff left, I figure I would go and place my dishes in the kitchen.

As I come out of the kitchen a commotion in the main room of the inn catches my attention. There is a small group of gamblers and it would seem that someone might have had a bit too much to drink. I will have to walk past them to get back to the dwarves. As I continue my way back towards the dwarves, one of the gamblers grabs my right arm to try.

"Oi! Let go you bastard!" I yell as struggle in trying to keep myself from being pulled into his lap.

"I suggest you let the lady go." As a voice that I recognize as Fili's.

"I would do as he says. You don't want to get my brother angry." Kili says. Both of them had made their way over to the commotion.

"What are you pups going to do about it?" says the drunk gambler who is still struggling to pull me into his lap.

"They won't have to because I will." I say as I manage to punch the man in the nose, causing him to fall off his chair. It if wasn't for Kili grabbing me around the waist, I probably would have fallen with the man.

"Nice punch." Fili states before pulling out one of his many hidden knives.

"Just leave them be Fili. I am sure I made my point." I quickly brush my dress out, after pushing Kili's hands away, before walking away from the mess.

I can see Thorin, Dwalin, and Balin standing a few feet from our table, ready to spring into action if necessary. The others seem to have gone to bed while I was away. I make my way to the stairs that lead to the rooms of the inn and head up them to find my room.

I get to the top and walk down the main hall to find the door number that matches my key number. Thirteen. It just had to be thirteen. I unlock the door and enter the room. Gandalf is awake, sitting in a chair next to a fire place. Bilbo is asleep on a cushioned built in bench in front of the window. Aliena is asleep on the full sized bed with the blankets thrown every which way.

Gandalf softly clears his throat to get my attention. "Thorin and the company have agreed that it would be best if you and Aliena continue to stay with us on our journey. Thorin and Dwalin are impressed with your hand to hand combat skills. However, I suggest you ask one of the others to teach you how to use a weapon."

"I will accompany them on their journey. I must warn you, the dwarves may not like the end result of it." I take a chance, and look at Gandalf.

"You know something. Don't you." He sits up straighter in the chair.

"Only that all of this is considered a fantasy world where I am from. I didn't read the books or see any of the films, but my friends did. It is only from my friends talking about it, do I know what might happen." I am speaking the truth. My friends were big into the whole Sci-Fi and fantasy genres when it came to books and movies. I, myself, found that I preferred history, mythology, and classic literature.

"If that is the case, then please keep this knowledge to yourself. Who knows what kind of dangers or changes in events could happen." Gandalf says before pulling out his pipe for a smoke.

"I agree." Is all I tell him as I walk over to the full size bed. I climb up onto the mattress before fixing the blankets to cover myself and Aliena. "Goodnight Gandalf." I say as I lay down onto the bed.

I am almost asleep when I hear Gandalf say, "Goodnight"

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**Not as long as my previous chapter, but it will do. The next chapter will be more traveling until the encounter with the trolls. **

**Selene**


	4. On the Road Again

**So this chapter will span from leaving Bree to the encounter with the Trolls. I am very happy to see that some people are actually reading this story. I also have yet to receive a review (As I write this chapter), which is very interesting. I ask everyone, if I accidentally make a mistake with the lore please let me know. As I am typing these chapters, I am using the book and using the movies to help me keep track of things. Also I am curious, would you all like to use the extended edition movies instead of the other versions? I own both versions (save for BOTFA extended edition) and I am wondering if the extended editions might be more useful. Please let me know what you all think.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit or its characters or its events.**

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Waking up in a warm, comfy bed was nice for a change. Not wanting to fully wake up just yet, I keep myself still. I can hear Bilbo whispering to Aliena about breakfast just before the door opens. I can hear noise from the hall enter the room, then dead silence. Knowing that Bilbo is with Aliena helps keep me from getting out of bed. Bilbo is a gentle soul and with the dwarves, who are possibly awake, I can trust that Aliena will be looked after. I hear the door open and close again. Maybe I was wrong to assume they would go to breakfast. I hear soft footsteps before...

"Wake up!" Two boisterous voices call out as the owners of those voices land on my bed.

Well that was one hell of a wake-up call, being bounced in bed. I quickly sit up to see Fili and Kili both laying at the bed at my feet.

"You know, with the way you two came in here, some may try to call into question my virtue." I say with a smirk on my face. "Anyways I was already up before you entered."

"Oh Inara, you wound our pride." Kili says with a smile.

"Besides, if anyone tried anything like that with you, Uncle and the rest of us would fight them off." Fili gets off the end of the bed and helps Kili up also.

"Yes well, I think I can handle most attackers rather well." I make a fist with my right hand before slamming it into my left palm.

"That you do. Anyways, uncle says we will be leaving in an hour, and it best to eat before we leave." Fili says as he walks to the door pulling Kili by the sleeve of his shirt.

As they close the door, I proceed to climb out of bed. I notice the packages that hold the new items sitting on the floor by the door. I walk over and begin to open the packages. I hastily try to roll up the blankets before putting them into the packs. I pick out a tan colored tunic, a brown blouse, an under short, a black pair of pants, and a pair of boots for Aliena to wear. I place the rest of her extra clothes on the bed before I begin to pick out what I am going to wear. I open a few more packages before deciding on wearing a cream color tunic, an emerald green blouse, the black corset, black pants and my new boots. Again I place the extra clothes on the bed. I walk over to the small table that has a pitcher of water and a large bowl on it. I remember my grandmother having one of these in her house; so I begin to pour the water out of the pitcher and into the bowl. I open the drawer of the small table and pull out a blue cloth and a bar of soap. I put the cloth into the bowl and place the bar of soap near the edge of the table before closing the drawer. I take off my costume dress, which at this point smells of the outdoors, smoke, and a hint of body odor. I take off my boots and jeans as well, leaving me in just my tank top, bra, panty, and socks. I grab the bar of soap and place it in the water and rub it vigorously on the cloth. I try to move fast with cleaning myself up. I use a small towel that was hanging on the side of help dry off. I quickly undress and redress in the new clothing. However, I seem to be having an issue with the corset. Unlike most women, I am putting the corset outside of my tunic and blouse. However, I can't seem to reach the stays in the back. It is at this point that I hear a knock on the door.

"You can come in. I promise that I am decent."

The door opens up to reveal that it is Balin and Thorin who were knocking.

"You like nice lass." Balin says with smile on his face. Thorin nods in agreement.

"Thank you. Do either of you know how to work the stays on a corset?" The question was out of my mouth before I could hold it back. I watch as both turn a bit pink before Thorin walks over to where I am standing. I turn my back to him so that he doesn't have to tie them with Balin looking right at him.

Taking a deep breath I begin to speak. "I want to thank you. Not only for coming to my aid, but for the gold coins as well."

"Don't worry much about it lassie. It is an honor to be able to help you and your child." Balin says as he walks over to where Thorin and I are standing. "Most people have prejudices against us and it is very nice to meet someone who doesn't. You and Aliena will be coming with us on the journey if what Gandalf says is true." There is a twinkle in the old dwarf's eyes.

"Of course, I don't think Bofur or Bifur could part from Aliena now that she has them wrapped around her finger." I say with a smile. Balin's smile gets a bit bigger, before I feel a rather hard pull from my back. I let out a gasp of air at the pull and try hard not to stumble forward.

"Done." is all I hear before hearing Thorin's footsteps going to the open door.

As I turn to see where he was heading off to, Balin puts a hand on my shoulder. "Best leave him lass. Tying your corset most likely reminded him of his sister." I look at Balin's face and see a hint of sadness cross it.

"What happened to her?" I ask as I place my arm in his and begin to walk towards the door. He may be shorter than I am, but I would prefer to go to the main hall on the arm of one of the company. Besides it might help keep away any unwanted advances.

"Thorin has had a hard life, lass. He has done well by making us a new home in the Blue Mountains, but he longs to be able to give his people back their rightful home." As Balin speaks to me a little about Erebor, we walk the hall and down the stairs before ending up in the main hall. Upon our entering the main hall, I can see most of the company enjoying themselves at the table we sat at the night before. Kili is making funny faces at Aliena using pieces of sausages and bacon. I let out a snicker at the sight.

"You would think that Kili is still a child with how he acts." I say to Balin.

"He is actually 77 and old enough to join in the quest. Though personally I have to agree with you, he still acts like a child. Fili is around 85 and helps keep Kili out of trouble. Well mostly." The old dwarf snickers.

We both walk to the table and sit down. I am sitting next to Bifur and Balin, and it seems that Bifur saved me a plate of food.

"Thank you Bifur." I tell him as I start to eat. Sausage gravy with biscuits, bacon, eggs, and some milk begins to disappear.

Once I am done with my meal, I take Aliena upstairs to give her a quick clean up and dress for the long ride we have ahead of us. With our packs full, I put on my cloak and put Aliena's cloak on her. Both are a deep blue color with black fur on the inside. Before we leave the room, I throw our costume dresses into the fire place and watch as they begin to burn. I pick up both packs and taking hold of Aliena's hand, leave the room.

We make our way out of the Prancing Pony, to find that most of the dwarves are already tying their packs onto their ponies. Our packs are tied to Bilbo's pony to help keep the ponies from tiring under a heavy load. As we begin to mount up, I decide to ride with Fili and Aliena rides with Kili. Both princes are overjoyed at the idea of us two keeping them company. We leave Bree around mid-morning to begin our journey on the road.

We ride for several days, only stopping at nightfall or to relieve ourselves. We ride over hills, along ridges, thru forests and grasslands. Throughout all of this, Aliena and I take turns riding with everyone in the company for a day at a time. So I have an idea that it has been a week or so since we have left Bree.

We continue on riding, the scenery changing at times. One particular day Thorin has us make camp on a small inseam on the side of a small mountain ridge. We enjoy the meal Bombur made, and are now settling in for the night. Fili and Kili have the first watch, but that doesn't stop Gandalf from staying awake. Aliena is having a hard time falling asleep so I decide to sing to her. The song is Hold on Together from the movie The Land Before Time. As I sing very softly as I rub her back and she starts to drift off to sleep. I don't care if the dwarves can hear me singing and if they do, they don't make it known.

I tuck the blanket close to Aliena as I hear the snores of the dwarves begin. It isn't long when I notice that Bilbo has gotten up. I keep still on my bedroll that sits next to the rock face near where Fili and Kili are. Aliena has become very attached to Kili, so that makes Bifur, Bofur, and now Kili as her most favorite people in the world. After me of course. I continue sitting there watching the fire when I hear a high pitched noise in the distance.

"What was that?" Bilbo asks in worried voice.

"Orcs." Replies Kili with a serious look on his face.

"Orcs?" asks Bilbo as he makes his way towards the rest of us.

I happen to glance up and see that Thorin is slightly startled awake from his dozing. His eyes lock on to mine and it is if I can see what he is thinking. I keep myself quiet as he keeps looking at me. I barely register what is going on around us.

Fili and Kili are snickering when Thorin finally breaks eye contact with me. He get up fully from his rock saying, "You think that is funny. A night raid by Orcs is a joke?"

"We didn't mean anything by it." Kili says with a bit of sad tone in his voice.

"No you didn't." Thorin begins to walk away from us as he mumbles, "You know nothing of the world."

Balin comes into view and begins to tell the tale of Azanulbizar. I don't really pay attention to the tale since my eyes followed Thorin when he had walked away. By the end of the tale all the dwarves, including myself, are standing up. Thorin turns around and sees all of us looking at him. His eyes move across everyone before falling on me. That is when I feel a single tear makes it way down my cheek. He walks back to his spot against a rock as the rest of us try to go back to sleep. However, it isn't lost on Fili and Kili that their uncles' eyes stayed on me longer than another else in the company.

I lay myself on my bedroll and pull a small amount of the heavier blanket over me to make sure Aliena has more of it than I. Just as I am about to fall asleep I hear Fili ask Balin a question.

"What is going on between Thorin and Inara?"

I didn't stay awake long enough to hear Balin's reply.

In the morning, we pack up our stuff and prepare to leave. Nibbling only on sausages and left over biscuits from the night before is all we eat for breakfast. As usual, Aliena and I pick who we are riding with for the day. Aliena decides she wants to ride with Bifur. Before I can make my choice I feel a hand grip my arm and lift me up onto a pony. Surprisingly enough it is Thorin who has decided to have me ride with him.

We make our way down the path on the ridge. It doesn't take long to reach the bottom. Last night I had gone to bed with a raging headache and it seemed to me that the sky was doing exactly what my headache had warned me about. It was a good think that I had Aliena put on her cloak and I had done the same, before leaving.

I glance back noticing that Bofur is directly behind Thorin and I. He notices that I am looking at him and straightens up.

"Can you make sure Aliena has her hood up on her cloak please? I don't want her catching a cold from getting wet." I say to him.

"What makes you think it is going to rain?" Thorin asks from his spot on the pony.

"I had a bad headache last night, and if you look up you would notice that the clouds are becoming dark. It will rain soon." I reply.

"You had a headache? Did you ask Oin to give you anything for it?" Bofur asks in shock.

"Yes I had a headache last night and no I didn't ask Oin for medicine. I usually only get headaches if the weather is going to change in a fast manner. My brothers use to call me a human barometer."

"What is a barometer?" asks Dwalin from his pony's spot behind Bofur.

"It is an instrument that helps alert people to changes in the weather. Now Bofur can you please have Aliena put her hood up." I can start to feel a slight humidity to the air, and can smell the beginnings of water in the air.

Bofur has his pony go back towards Bifur's pony which is near the end of our group.

"So you get headaches when the weather changes? What other things can you foresee?" Thorin asks me without actually looking at me.

Before I even answer Thorin's question, the clouds open up in one fantastic down pour. I glance back to make sure everyone is ok. It isn't lost on me that Dori and a few others who were listening in to my conversation with Bofur, had actually put their hoods up on their coats or cloaks. Gandalf looks at me with a smile on his face and his eyes shining brightly.

It continues to rain heavily for the rest of the day and night too. We use a small cave as a means for shelter from the rain. Everyone is cold, wet, and very grumpy. Dinner is a small affair of jerky meat and some mushy bread.

The next morning it is still raining and we head out to continue on our journey. Again I am pulled up by Thorin to ride with him, and Aliena rides with Kili who is riding closer to the front of the group. Around mid-day Dori asks Gandalf if he can do something about the rain. I snicker to myself as I hear Gandalf's reply.

"What are you laughing about?" Thorin asks turning his head slightly in a vain attempt to look at me.

"Oh, Dori and his complaining about the rain." I reply moving slightly to look at Thorin's face.

"I see. And what do you think about the rain?"

"Oh, I think that the land needs the rain to help with making sure that the trees, grass, plants and rivers are all healthy. If any of those things were to become sick or not receive enough water. Well, it would affect not only the plant life, but the animals who need the plants for food. Then it would also affect those who eat those animals to survive. Everything is connected in a chain and if there is a disruption in that chain, well it could bring about a disaster."

"You seem to be well educated, Inara." Balin says from behind.

I look back at Balin and reply, "Of course. I went to school for a long time, and I read plenty of books whenever I have the chance."

Balin gives me a smile and I can hear Thorin give a small snort at my reply. The group becomes quiet as we continue to keep riding.

We make camp amongst a grove of trees. The ground is damp since the rain had stopped by mid-afternoon. Kili, Fili, Ori, and Nori go out hunting to try and find us some fresh meat. While we wait, I ask Gloin and Dwalin to give me some small instruction on how to defend myself. By the time the four come back carrying a deer, Gloin had given me instruction on how to use a dagger on an attacker.

We eat what we can of the cooked deer meat, and Dwalin and Balin take the first watch of the night.

In the morning we all eat the leftover cooked deer meat for breakfast before continuing on our journey. This time, however, I ride with Kili and Aliena rides with Fili. I tried very hard to try and avoid being near Thorin as the ponies were being packed. It is sunny out and everyone's mood seems to be lighter.

We are riding again for a few hours and I am lost in my thoughts till a voice pulls me back.

"So Inara," Kili asks, "What is going on between you and our uncle." He attempts to glance over his shoulder since I am sitting behind him.

"What do you mean?" I ask in return.

"Well you did ride with him for two days straight. Plus Fili and I have seen the two of you looking at each other. So spill already."

"I don't know. He asks me questions and I answer them." I say trying to keep myself from blushing. Even I don't know what is going on between Thorin and I. Yes, I can empathize with what he has gone through, but still that doesn't mean anything. Does it?

"Well we should warn you," Fili says quietly since Aliena has fallen asleep while being held by Fili. "There is some talk amongst the others."

"What kind of talk?" Now this definitely has my full attention.

"That perhaps the only reason why you and Aliena are coming with us is because uncle has feelings for you." Fili states with an air of concern.

"That is ridiculous, Fili. Why would he care about me? I think that you and Kili are just playing games with me now." I fall silent and refuse to talk to either of them for a bit.

It isn't long until we stop at a broken down home. I am not so sure staying here for the night is a good idea. I hear arguing between Thorin and Gandalf as Aliena and I walk towards the remains of the home.

"Mommy, what is going on?" Aliena asks me as Gandalf marches right past us in an angry mood.

"I don't know, sweetie. How about we go explore the area." I tell her.

As the dwarves set up camp, Aliena and walk around to find more firewood. Bofur and Bombur are preparing the meal tonight, and I am still trying to keep my distance from Thorin. Aliena and bring back more firewood to the camp when Nori and Gloin offer to teach me on using a dagger for defense. I leave Aliena with Ori and Dori knowing that Ori will entertain her with his storytelling and Dori hovering over them like a mother hen.

We aren't gone that long, when Dwalin comes to tell us that the stew is ready. We make our way back to camp and I can already see that Aliena is eating her stew. I take the offered bowl that Bifur offer to me. I give him my thanks and head over to sit with Aliena. As I eat, I notice Bilbo wander off with two bowls in his hands. With the stew in my bowl gone, and Aliena's bowl is empty as well, I take the bowls back to Bofur so Bombur can clean them. I notice Aliena is sleepy so I pull out our bedrolls and put them towards the standing corner of what is left of the house. She is asleep before her head even hits the ground. I, however, can seem to shake a feeling of something being amiss.

It only takes an hour before Fili stumbles into camp talking about trolls, ponies, and Bilbo. The dwarves are quick to grab their weapons. Thorin makes his way over to where Aliena and I are.

"You two are to stay here. Understood?" He gives me a hard look, as if he is expecting me to challenge him.

"We will stay put." I reply. "Be careful." I whisper as I watch him walk back to the rest of the company. They are quick to leave, and I keep my word and stay put. I watch as the fire is slowly going down and realize that they have been gone for several hours. Aliena seems to be deep in sleep with no signs of waking up soon, I get up from my bedroll and make my way to the fire. I quickly rummage through my pack and pull out some fresh clothes. I make my way back to where Aliena is and quickly take off my corset, careful not to pull the stay apart too much. I change into my navy blue blouse before putting my corset back on. I tie the stays loose so that I have more range of movement if necessary. I pull my loose hair into a single braid so that it will stay out of my face. I soon hear footsteps coming from the distance. I grab for the dagger Gloin had given me and was prepared to attack when I notice Gandalf had returned.

"About time you came back." I say to him.

He looks around the camp before addressing me. "Where are the Dwarves? Where is Bilbo?"

"Fili came back to camp mentioning something about the ponies, Bilbo, and trolls." I tell him.

Gandalf lets out a groan. "And just how long have they been gone?"

"Most of the night. I think something has happened to them Gandalf."

We both look at each other before turning to glance back to where Aliena is still sleeping. When we turn back to look at each other I twirl the dagger in my right hand.

"I will see if I can scout out where they are." I tell Gandalf before walking out of camp. "Keep an eye on her till I return?"

"Of course."

With that agreement, I head off into the trees to see if I can find our wayward dwarves. It doesn't take me long to find the signs that the dwarves have been through the bushes. As I keep moving forward, I can hear voices yelling. I stop quickly and duck down before slowly moving towards the voices. I chance a glance around the thick brush in front of me to see three hideous trolls standing around a fire. I also see that there are some dwarves on a pole, being rotated around like a spit over the fire. I hide myself again and carefully move towards the other side of the brush before chancing a glance. On the ground, in sacks, are the rest of the company. I move back so that the brush hides me again. I try to think of a plan to help the dwarves out of the pickle that they have themselves in. I am so deep in thought that I didn't hear the heavy footsteps coming near me until it was too late.

"Well look at what we have here." Says the big ugly troll as he dangles me by my right arm.

I give him a death glare as a yell at the troll, "Didn't your mother ever tell you it isn't nice to pick on people smaller than yourself." I attempt to try and swing myself out of his grip, but his other hand comes to grab one of my legs. As I kick and struggle to get out of the trolls grasp, he walks over to where the other trolls are. I can hear the company yelling at them to let me go. Well that isn't going to happen anytime soon.

"What should we do with her?" says one of the other trolls.

"We could just eat her now." Replies the one who is currently holding me.

Seeing as I don't want to be eaten, move my mouth up and bite the trolls' hand. Hard. He yells, which is what I was expecting; however, what I wasn't expecting was being tossed like a rag-doll at the pile of dwarves. I land hard on someone, and it is enough to stun me. I try to get back up, but it is no use. The lack of sleep on top of the physical abuse I just had, my body decides that it is lights out for me. As the world goes dark, I can hear everyone shouting my name.

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**This was a massive chapter, but I did it. I won't be able to post anymore new chapters till possible Thursday evening. **

**Selene**


	5. Say Hello to Wargs and Rivendell

**Thank you Guest for leaving a review. Also thank you to all who are following this story. I am so happy to see that people actually like my story. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit or its characters or its events.**

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The first thing I hear as I start to come to is several male voices jumbled up together. I let out a groan in hopes that it will let them know that I am okay.

"Easy lass. Take your time in waking up." That voice I recognize as belonging to Oin.

I feel a cloth being taken off of my forehead and wrinkle my forehead in protest. It isn't long till the cloth comes back, but this time it is cold with water.

"What happened?" I try to say but it sounds more male than female.

"You went for a ride." I hear, along with a loud thump.

"Kili! That is no way to talk about a lady."

"But it is true. By the way, make sure you wash your mouth before you go kissing anyone. Wouldn't want to give them troll breath." Again I hear a thump, followed by Kili saying, "Ow."

"All of you back away from Inara. She needs space." I hear Gandalf tell whoever is around me. There is some shuffling of feet and soon it is quiet again.

I attempt to open my eyes but slam them shut due to the bright light.

"Is it daylight?" I ask.

"That it is Inara." Gandalf replies. "You gave us all quite a scare. What is the last thing you remember, my dear?"

"Biting a troll then nothing. What kind of fun did I miss out on?" I receive a chuckle from Gandalf.

"You missed out of the trolls turning to stone. You have been unconscious for most of the day. Which has Thorin in a mood, but he will survive. Aliena, however, has been pestering to see you. Poor Bofur couldn't keep her from trying to see you."

"Is she alright?" I ask as I open my eyes. I can see that I am back in the falling apart house. I turn my head gently to my right to see Gandalf kneeling next to me, and Oin just behind his right shoulder.

"She is. Would you like me to bring her to you?" Gandalf asks.

"Please." I reply.

Gandalf stands up and walks towards where the others are standing outside. Oin walks over to me, holding a cup in his hand.

"You best be drinking this lassie. It is chamomile tea. It will help with any pain or discomfort you might have." Oin hands me the cup as I attempt to sit up. "Easy now. You had us all worried that you might not wake up."

"I am sorry to be such a burden on you all. I just didn't expect to be caught by the trolls." I say before I take a sip of the tea. It is slightly bitter, but I don't complain. "I imagine Thorin is very angry at me."

Oin gives me a slight smile. "He isn't as angry as he might have been if you had been awake. You landed on him and a rock that was next to him. You fought back, and managed to inflict some harm to the troll. To Thorin, that was accomplishing much more than if you had just given up. So you are not a burden, just reckless. You might be giving Kili a run for his money in just being reckless."

I give a little laugh before my ribs give a sudden twinge in pain. I take another sip of the tea, before I see Aliena running towards me.

"Mommy!"

"Hello sweetie."

Aliena practically throws herself into my body before she can stop. I wrap an arm around her to hold her to me. I give her a kiss on the cheek, then on the top of her head. I close my eyes and breath in, keeping my face buried in her hair. We stay like that for a few minutes before opening my eyes. As I look up over the top of Aliena's head, I can see the whole company watching from the open wall. I give a smile to them as they all chuckle.

"I may get knocked down, but I always get up again. It is good to see that all of you managed to stay alive." I can't help teasing them all.

"Aye lassie. We are made of stronger stuff that you are." Dwalin says as he gives me a wink. The rest of the dwarves readily agree with his statement before shuffling off to do their own thing.

The only dwarf besides Oin that stays is Thorin. He walks over to where Aliena and I are before kneeling before us.

"Are you sure that you are all right, Inara?" He looks me dead in the eyes and my body gives a little shudder.

"I am. Nothing I can't handle. You all seem to be forgetting that I have been through worse." I give him a smile.

Aliena decides at this moment to let go of me, and sit herself in my lap, facing Thorin. He looks down at Aliena and gives her a small smile, before looking back up at me. Again, my body gives a little shudder.

"So, did you find the troll cave?" I ask without thinking. The look on his face goes hard. Shit! He didn't know about it.

"You mean there is a cave nearby?" He asks me.

I think quickly to try and cover what my big mouth let out. "I ran across while scouting to find you all." Great. Not the best lie, but hopefully it will do.

"Very well. We will search for the cave tomorrow. There isn't enough daylight left to go in search of it today. Plus you also need to rest and heal." He looks back down at Aliena and with a finger, from his right hand, runs it down the side of her cheek. He gives her another smile, before standing up. What he does next puts me into a moment of shock. He leans forwards and places a quick kiss to the top of my head. He steps away almost as quickly as he can.

I watch him head back to the others with most likely a stunned look on my face. It is Aliena's little voice that pulls my attention back from watching him leave.

"I like him mommy. Can we stay with him forever?" she asks while looking up at my face.

I stay speechless, which Aliena takes as it is time for her to run off and play. She proceeds to climb off my lap and runs to go find Bifur. I watch her leave, but I happen to notice two princes trying to hide themselves behind half of the wall across from where I am.

"Fili. Kili. You can come out from your hiding spots. Don't try to pretend that you aren't there either. I can smell you from here." I call out.

Just as I predicted, Kili pops up followed by Fili from their hiding spots.

"We don't smell." Kili says as he hops over the short wall.

"Speak for yourself, brother." Fili says as he too hops over the wall.

Both of them walk over to where I am and sit on the ground in front of me.

"Care to share?" asks Kili with a smile on his face.

"There is nothing to share." I reply before taking a nice long drink of the now cold tea.

"That is a load of rubbish. We saw you and Thorin. He kissed you." Fili says as he plays with one of his mustache braids.

"He kissed the top of my head. That could mean anything."

"True. But to us dwarves, we don't go around kissing random people." Kili states as he pulls out a piece of jerky meat from his jacket. He takes a bite from it before continuing on speaking. "Since you are human, Fili and I will let you in on a few little dwarven secrets."

I pop an eyebrow up. "Dwarven secrets?"

"What Kili is trying to say is that, we don't want you to misunderstand certain things about dwarves. Especially when it comes to showing affection."

Feeling a bit uncomfortable with where this conversation was about to go, I call out for Balin.

"Balin! Can you come here please?" I shout as both Fili and Kili quickly shake their heads in a "no" fashion. Sure enough, not even a few seconds after I shout, Balin comes walking towards us.

"How may I be of service, milady?" he asks. It is not lost on him that Fili and Kili are now sitting very still and I am looking rather uncomfortable.

"Can you be so kind as to explain a few things to me? It is not that I don't trust Fili and Kili's explanation, but I would prefer someone much older and wiser tell me." I can see a look of betrayal from Kili and Fili. Looking directly at the two of them I say, "It is better to learn from your elders, who have the knowledge, than it is to learn from a young one who is still new to the world."

Balin chuckles before sending Kili and Fili away. He keeps an eye on them to make sure that they have left before turning back to address me.

"What is it that those two did now?"

"It isn't what they did. It is more like what they were hinting at." I can feel the heat of my blush spread all over my cheeks and quite possibly to my ears as well.

"And what were the hinting at milady?"

"That Thorin kissing the top of my head just a few minutes ago, means that he has feeling for me. Honestly Balin, I have no idea what is going on. I am not a dwarf nor do I know about any dwarven customs. Please explain it to me, so I am not left in the dark, or do something that offends any one here." I am hyperventilating by now and try to take a few deep breaths to calm my nerves.

"I see." Balin lets out a breath before sitting down next to me on my bedroll. "Dwarves only show affection to those close to them. Any form of intimate contact is strictly forbidden between males and females unless they are family or are married. I don't know why he did what he did, and I am a bit shocked that he did. Don't get me wrong lass, he does care about you and Aliena, but you are neither married nor family." Balin looks at me with a serious look on his face. "To keep a scandal from occurring, I would suggest that you do not encourage any form of affection from Thorin. As to Fili and Kili, I would suggest the same."

I nod in agreement with Balin is saying. "I understand. Thank you for explaining things to me, Balin. I will try to do as you ask."

"For what it is worth lass, all of us see you as one of the company." He says before he leaves.

The rest of the evening goes on like all the others did. We ate, we slept, and by morning we were all wide awake. After eating our breakfast, Thorin decides that we should attempt to find the troll cave. Before we head out I quickly redo my hair so that it is half in a braid with the other half lose underneath it. I quickly put a single braid in Aliena's hair so that it rests on the right side of her head. Remembering what my friends back home told of the troll cave, it wasn't hard for me to lead the company to it. Thorin picks only a few to go into the cave while the rest of us wait outside.

Aliena and I wait outside of the cave with Fili and Kili. Kili is showing Aliena his bow, while Fili is showing me how to use his throwing hatchets. I already know how to throw the hatchets thanks to my grandfather teaching me how to with tomahawks. To keep the peace though, I fake not knowing how. I am carrying my pack and Aliena's pack on my back, one tied to the other. Our bedrolls, I left with the ponies. I knew the wargs would appear and chase us at some point, so I didn't want us to lose our clothes from Bree.

Thorin and the others emerge from the cave with what looks like new weapons. A new sound takes us all by surprise, and soon a sleigh being pulled by rabbits, stops before us. Gandalf seems to know who this person is and they go off a ways to speak.

"I have something for you." Comes a voice to my right. It is Thorin and he is carrying something in his hand. "Here. I see that you have been improving under Dwalin and Gloin's teaching. It is time for you to have your own weapon." He hands me what looks like a cross between a Japanese Katana and an old English broadsword.

"Thank you, Thorin." I reach out for the weapon when I hear what sounds like a howl. I quickly grasp it before hastily looking around.

"Is that a wolf? Are there wolves?" Bilbo says with a bit of fear in his voice.

"Wolves? No that is not a wolf." Bofur states before we all see a rather large wolf like creature come bounding towards us.

Thinking quickly, I grab the throwing hatchet Fili had let me use to practice with, and threw it at the warg. I nailed it right between the eyes just before it could pounce. Another warg came bounding from a different direction. It was heading straight for Thorin, and again I threw the second hatchet at the incoming warg. It landed to the ground and slid to a stop just in front of Thorin. Dwalin and Thorin stab it just in case. However, I can see that I hit that warg in the same place as the other one.

Nearly everyone is staring at me in shock except for Thorin.

"Warg scouts! That means an Orc pack can't be too far behind." He says as he pulls his blade from the already dead warg.

"An Orc pack?" Bilbo says in frustration. Poor fellow obviously didn't know what he was getting himself into when he sign on with the company.

Aliena tugs on my shirt sleeve to get my attention. I bend down to pick her and the blade that Thorin handed to me moments ago up off the ground. I had dropped it when I threw that first hatchet. Fili quickly pulls each hatchet from each warg, as Kili keeps saying to him, "Did you see that? She hit them dead center."

Gandalf questions Thorin on if he has told anyone about the quest. Dwalin suggests we leave quickly, but it is Ori and Bifur that tells us that the ponies are gone.

We can hear more warg howls and Radagast offers to draw them off. He makes a big deal about doing it when he sees Aliena in my arms. Our safety is of concern for him.

No sooner had Radagast began to lead the wargs away, we all begin to run. I have a hard time carrying Aliena while running; so at the first quick stop, Bofur offer to carry Aliena. I have it so that Bofur has Aliena on his back, piggyback style, while I run behind him. As we run towards another rock grouping, Fili hands me the two hatchets. I quickly tuck the handles into the waist of my pants, knowing that the pants fit snug enough to keep them from falling out. We continue to run until we stop at yet another rock formation. We wait just a few seconds till Thorin gives us the all clear. We run some more and by this time, I am having a hard time catching my breath. I was always a very active person back in my world, but I hated running. Give me a 15 mile walk a day and I was fine. But running, I hated with a vengeance.

We run to a rock formation and stop. That is when I hear the sound of heavy footsteps. I see Kili reach for an arrow. I already know that he isn't going to make a quick kill. Thanks again to my friends' fantasy obsession discussions. I prepare myself to give him back up if he does fail to make a quick kill. I ask a quick blessing, from whatever god or gods watch over the dwarves, that Kili and I make quick kills. Kili shoots the warg but only hits the upper leg of the animal. As the warg shrieks out in pain, Kili shoots another arrow and I quickly throw one of the hatchets. His arrow finds the rider, while my hatchet hits between the eyes of the beast. Both fall to the ground and Dwalin and Bifur start stabbing both rider and beast.

"I think they are both dead already fellas." I say not too loudly, in case there are others nearby. Everyone goes dead still and quiet immediately.

Right on cue, we can hear the howls of more wargs and the sound is getting closer.

"Move. Run!" Gandalf yells before we all take off again, running as fast as we can. Dwalin, had somehow managed to pull the hatchet out of the dead warg and tosses it back to me as we run. I catch it easily and carry it in my left hand while the blade is in my right hand. I glance around and see that Bofur still has Aliena on his back. At least she is safe for the moment.

We keep running till the wargs have us all surrounded. There are too many of them for us to fend them all off at once. Thorin shouts for Kili to shoot them, but that isn't going to be enough. I do a quick glance around to see that too many of us are scattered about. If there is one thing that I learned from reading history books, is that we need to get into some sort of formation if we are to survive this.

"Thorin!" I shout towards him. "We need to get into some type of formation if we are going to give these assholes a fight they will never forget!"

Thorin looks my way quickly before looking around at where the others are.

"She is right!" shouts both Balin and Dwalin.

"Close ranks and stand your ground!" Shouts Thorin, and everyone begins to draw closer to each other in a bit of a semi-circle. Kili is still a bit out in front, trying his best to help keep the wargs at bay. I am standing near Bofur and Aliena to help ensure that nothing happens to her.

Out of nowhere Gandalf appears and yells, "This way you fools!" before once again disappearing.

Everyone moves at once as Thorin shouts for all of us to move. Bofur jumps down the hole first with Aliena, while I hang back to try and help keep everyone else safe. Thorin stands at the right of the opening while stand on the left. He gives me a quick glance.

"Get down there!" Thorin yells at me.

"Not till everyone else is safe." I shout back at him as I keep my eyes focused on the approaching wargs. I quickly toss my blade down into the hole, before pulling out my other hatchet. I twirl them around in the Huron Indian style that my grandfather taught me.

Thorin swings out at a warg that got too close. Most of the company has gone down into the hole. Now there is only myself, Thorin, Fili, and Kili who are left in the open. Fili is hesitating on going down the hole without his brother. Thorin shouts for Kili to run, and run he does. I don't think I have ever seen him move so fast. Fili soon goes down the hole with Kili right on his heels. Thorin and I go down into the hole at the same time, and somehow I end up landing on top of him, chest to chest, at the bottom.

"Sorry." I say softly before quickly getting off of him. It is a wonder that we didn't stab each other with our weapons, since we still had them drawn.

We hear some kind of horn being blown from up above near the entrance, as well as arrows flying thru the air. It isn't long when a dead orc soon falls into the hole. Thorin pushes me behind him before he notices that the orc is dead. He bends down and pulls the arrow out of the orcs' neck.

"Elves." Thorin says with much disgust in his voice.

"Mommy!" I hear from the back of the company. I push my way past them to get to Aliena. We collide into each other and I hug her close.

"I cannot see where the pathway leads." Dwalin shouts from the back of the cave. "Do we follow it or not?"

"Follow it of course!" Bofur shouts before running towards Dwalin.

Aliena and I move out of the dwarves' way as they each move past us. I keep a tight hold of her hand so that she isn't swept up with the dwarves. We wait for Gandalf and Bilbo to start heading towards the pathway before following. The pathway becomes smaller and a little more difficult to traverse. I keep hold of Aliena's hand even more so as we all keep walking.

Behind us I hear Bilbo speak. "Gandalf. Where are we?"

"You can feel it?"

"Yes. Well it feels. It feels like magic."

"Yes, well that is exactly what it is."

Aliena and I keep moving and I can't make out the rest of their conversation. I am so engrossed in thought over this 'magic' that I don't hear Dwalin speaking. I help Aliena take each stone step carefully so she doesn't fall down them. We stop just behind Thorin and I am in total shock. I pick Aliena up so that she can see why we have stopped. I hear a little gasp come from her.

"It is beautiful mommy." She says softly.

"That it is sweetie. That it is." I give Aliena a quick kiss on the side of her face before looking back at it. I know exactly what this place is. My friend Alyssa had her sister turn one of her bedroom walls into a painting of this place. Rivendell, home of the elves. Oh Alyssa would be so jealous if she knew that I was here.

Gandalf explains what this place is to the dwarves and Bilbo. However, Thorin is not so easily accepting of where he is. He goes on accusing Gandalf of planning this all along and how the elves are his enemies. As I hear this little conversation, my blood runs hot. I place Aliena on the ground before turning towards Thorin, Gandalf, and Bilbo.

CRACK! That's right, I just smacked Thorin in the back of the head with a lot of force. Everyone turns to see what caused the sound and are extremely quiet. Most, I am sure, possibly have shocked expressions on their faces. Thorin turns to face me with one hell of a death glare, and I give him my own death glare in return.

"Thorin, get your head out of your ass. No one is your enemy unless you choose to see them as your enemy. God Damn idiot! Oh woe is me, my life has been so hard. Take a good look around you. How many members of this company have lost the same things you have? You act like you are the only one who has had it tough. Well guess what! We all have had it tough, so suck it up and get over your own prejudice." I shout at him while looking him straight in the eyes. That's right, I just told Thorin Oakenshield off and I am not scared nor ashamed of it. We both still locked in a battle stare, daring the other to make some kind of move.

"Perhaps we should move this conversation elsewhere." Gandalf says from where he is standing.

The rest of the dwarves quickly move down more stairs. It isn't until I feel Aliena pull at my shirt that I look away from Thorin. I take her hand in mine and move to follow the rest of the dwarves. Balin and Dwalin are the only two dwarves who wait for me to pass them before walking back towards Thorin. I make it my mission not to look towards or at Thorin for the rest of the journey towards Rivendell.

We finally make it to the bottom of the stairs and cross a narrow bridge that is high above a fast flowing river. Ahead of us is an open courtyard where we all gather as we wait for Gandalf to move forward. There is talking amongst the dwarves though I pay no attention to it. I look down at Aliena who is looking around in amazement. I can't blame her really; nothing back home can compare to this place.

A dark haired elf comes down the stairs and says a name that I have no idea what it is. Gandalf seems to and greets the elf. The two converse in some weird language before we hear a horn being blown. The dwarves become startled at this.

Thorin shouts something, which I can't make sense of, which seems to have the dwarves moving in haste. Aliena and I find ourselves being pulled into the group by Dwalin. We are pushed towards the center, which I find rather frustrating since I am the tallest by a mere 4-5 inches. Aliena is still next to me, holding my hand. Tall horses with more elves start to surround us and the dwarves pull out some of their weapons.

The elves soon come to a stop, and I hear Gandalf speaking to one of them that has climbed down from his horse. Again, I have no idea what they are saying. Thorin steps forwards as the elf looks towards us. I can hear the horses being taken away, which seems like a very good idea in my opinion. The dwarves soon relax and the circle that we were is no more. Everyone seems to be milling about, not really paying attention to anything. The elf addresses Thorin and Thorin does what Thorin does. That is when the elf notices myself and my daughter. He walks towards us, but the dwarves pull in close to us to cut him off.

"Milady." The elf says with a bow.

"Sir." I say in return and give a short bow in return.

"Ah," Gandalf says, "Lord Elrond this is Inara and her daughter Aliena."

The elf smiles before speaking in that weird voice again. I truly need to learn the languages that are used here.

"Does he offer insult?" Gloin asks in agitation.

"No master Gloin, he is offering you food." Gandalf says.

"Food?" Aliena says so loud that all the dwarves look at her. I tug on her hand as we begin walking towards Lord Elrond.

"Before we eat, can my daughter and I take a bath first?" I ask him.

He chuckles. "But of course, milady. Lindir will show you the way."

"Thank you." I do a quick bow and Aliena does also before we follow Lindir to the baths.

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**There we have it. The company has reached Rivendell. The next chapter will include the dinner, Bofur's singing, and some other shenanigans. Reviews are always welcome.**

**Selene.**


	6. Interesting Days in Rivendell

**So last chapter, the company ran from wargs and made their way to Rivendell. I am planning on this chapter, and the next, of dealing with the company staying in Rivendell. There will be some shenanigans from the dwarves, and Inara will have to deal with a confrontation with Thorin. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit, its characters, or its events.**

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Aliena and I follow Lindir through the massive walk ways of Rivendell. He leads us towards an open hallway where one side was open to the elements, while the other side was a wall with several doors. We continued walking down this hall before stopping in front of the sixth door.

"This is your room, milady." Lindir says before opening the door.

I walk in with Aliena close behind. The room is rather large, with some settees near a fireplace, a few carpets of fabric on the floor, and a nice sized bed at the back near some rather large windows. The colors used in the room are earth tones that complement each other. Aliena goes off to climb up on one of the settees. I walk towards another settee and place our packs onto it.

"Please tell Lord Elrond that I am honored to share in his hospitality." I say with a small bow.

"I will inform him." Lindir says before walking over to a door way. "Here is the bath and dressing room. If you need assistance, I can send someone to help."

"That is most kind." I walk over to where Lindir is so that I may take a look at the room.

Lindir moves away and walks back to the door of our guest room. "I will return in a hour to show you to dinner." He says before exiting the room.

I walk into the dressing part of this new room and start to look through some of the garments that are hanging. One of the dresses catches my eye during my search. It is a deep red color brocade fabric that has gold leaves on it. I pull the dress out carefully and walk into the bath portion of the room. There is a mirror in the corner of the room, where I hold the dress up to see how it might look on me.

"Mommy, you look pretty. Like a princess." Aliena says as she walks over towards me.

"Do I now? Well how about we see if we can find you something too." I gently place the dress onto a bench and head towards the dressing room. Aliena and I spend a few minutes looking through the hanging dresses till we come across a smaller sized dress. It is an emerald green dress with no real embellishments on it. It might be a size or two too big for Aliena, but I am sure I can figure out a way to get it to fit her.

We go back into the bath area and I place her dress on the dress I had picked out earlier.

The bathing area of the room is near a stream that runs along backside of the room. After walking to the vanity that sits near the mirror, I pick out two small bottles from the vanity. I open the first bottle and take a quick sniff. Smells like honeysuckle with rosemary. That will be perfect for Aliena. I take a sniff from the second bottle. Oh, I like this smell. Frankincense with a hit of Myrrh to it.

After taking off our soiled clothes, Aliena and I soon climb into the small pool that serves as a bath. It only goes as deep as 3 feet, so Aliena will be able to touch the bottom. I help Aliena with washing her hair, using only a small amount of the honeysuckle smelling liquid. It lathers up nicely, so I allow her to wash herself with it. I use the frankincense and myrrh smelling liquid and start to wash my own hair and body with it. We quickly rinse out our hair and rinse off the remaining lather from our bodies before climbing out of the pool. I walk over to the small shelf that holds some linens and pull three towels to use to dry off with. I get one, Aliena gets one, and I will use the third as an extra.

We quickly dry off our hair and bodies before walking over to where I had placed the dresses. I leave a towel wrapped around myself as I help Aliena put on her dress. It is about a foot longer than what she needs. I walk into the dressing room and look through some of the small drawers. I find some sturdy ribbons, a few corsets (that most likely stop just below the bust line), some soft shoes, and hair accessories in the various drawers. I pull out a long gold ribbon, at least a good 5 feet long, before making my way back to Aliena. I work quickly in trying to evenly raise some of the length of her dress up before wrapping the ribbon about her to help keep the length up. Once I am done, she looks like she is from the movie Gladiator in her dress.

"Why don't you pick out some things for your hair." I tell her. She goes off quickly to go find something for her hair.

I am left looking at the red dress I picked out. Letting out a sigh, I remove my towel from around my body. Finding the bottom of the dress I soon slink and shimmy my way into the dress. Once it is in place I walk over to the mirror and I am stunned. The body of the dress is very form fitting, hugging my true hourglass figure. The top of the dress has only think straps that are gathered at the top of my shoulders. The neckline dips to show a very healthy amount of cleavage. At the hips, the dress flows loosely to the ground. Feeling a bit uncomfortable with how form fitting the dress is, I walk to the dressing room to find a corset to go over the body of the dress. I quickly pick a gold color corset that will go from just under the bust to waist.

From the main room, I hear Aliena talking to another voice. I quickly walk out of the dressing room to see who she is talking to. There on one of the settees is Aliena with a dark haired, female elf. The elf is brushing Aliena's hair as she is weaving some sort of braid into the hair.

"Excuse me." I say, so that my presence is known to the lady elf.

Both Aliena and the elf turn to face me. Again, I am in shock to see that it is Arwen who is with my daughter. I quickly curtsy before saying, "My Lady Arwen."

Arwen gives a little chuckle. "Please, stand up milady Inara. My father told me that a woman and child came with the dwarves today. I was surprised to find that what he said was true."

"We have been traveling with the dwarves for some time now." I explain to Arwen as I move towards her. "They have good hearts and can be very protective."

Arwen gives a little laugh before standing up. "May I help you with the corset?"

"Of course." I hand her the corset and turn to face away from her.

"This use to be one of my dresses." She says as she helps pull the corset over my up stretches arms and head. "I am pleased to see that it will be used again. It fits you very well." She begins tightening the stays after making sure the corset is in place.

She stays to help Aliena and I with our hair, and it isn't long when Lindir appears in the room.

"It is time for dinner." He says from near the main door.

"You look wonderful. I hope to see you and Aliena again." Arwen makes her way past Lindir and out of the room.

Aliena and I walk over to Lindir, who I must admit seems to be having a hard time not to stare at me. Arwen had places three braids, one on the left, one on the top, and one on the right, of my head. The braids meet at the back of my head before being braided together, while the rest of my hair is left flowing loosely down my back. Aliena has only a small braid at the back of her head.

He escorts us through the halls, down some stairs, before coming to an outside dining area. The dwarves are already there, but have yet to seat themselves.

"The lady Inara and Aliena." Lindir says loud enough to capture everyone's attention and all look to where Aliena and I are standing.

I look over at the dwarves and can see most of them are open mouthed. To my right I see Lord Elrond approach me.

"Milady. I hope you enjoy yourself tonight." He says before moving an arm in a gesture of show.

"Kili!" Aliena screams out and runs towards the dwarf giggling all the way. She throws herself at him and he picks up her and spins her around. He places her down at the table between Bofur and himself. Aliena quickly swipes something

I make my way towards the head table, where Gandalf, Thorin, and Elrond will be dining. I give each of them a smile as I move to find a chair to sit on. It is to my surprise that Thorin pulls out a chair for me at the table.

"Thank you." I say to him as I try to sit down like a lady.

The rest of our table sits down as well, and I am amused to find that I am sitting between Lord Elrond and Thorin. I begin to eat the food that is in front of me. I listen in as Elrond speaks about the sword Gandalf has shown him.

"You look nice." I hear Thorin says softly as if he is afraid of being overheard.

"Thank you." I say to him, but still refusing to look at him.

"I want you to know that I am not displeased with you. I admit that sometimes my temper gets the better of me."

Ah, so this must be his way of telling me that I might have been correct on telling him off earlier. I swallow a piece of salad before leaning slightly towards him. "Sometimes it takes someone else to remind us that we are not without fault. Pride can cause great people to fall into darkness if they do not become humbled. I will admit that perhaps I should not have smacked you, but I fear that you would have only ignored me if I didn't."

I see him grin slightly, from the corner of my eye. "You truly are a formidable woman, Inara. If you were a dwarf, I would have had you executed or banished after hitting me."

"Well then, I shall make it my mission to hit you every time your pride and temper get the better of you."

We both let out a snort and smile at each other. It isn't lost on Gandalf at how close Thorin and I have moved towards each other. I clear my throat before standing up from the table.

"Perhaps Lord Elrond can give you the history of the sword you carry from the troll hoard, Thorin." I say before taking a sip of the elven wine. Ick, I hate the warm burn on the alcohol going down my throat. I take it with me as I walk away from the table and head for the others.

I see Balin giving me a look before I come to sit next to Fili at one of the tables.

"This music is such a drag. Do you think they can play something a little more fun?" I say rather loudly, which causes Bofur to grin from where he is sitting.

"You want a lively tune lass?" Bofur says as he gets up from his sit. "There is only one thing to do." He says as he climbs up onto the table.

Bofur begins to sing and pound his feet on the table, which causes the rest of us to pound our hands on the tables as well. He makes his way to stand on a short pillar that sits between two tables and as the rest of the dwarves join in the song. Aliena gets up from where she is sitting with Kili and tugs at his arm. He gets up and starts to dance with her. Actually it is more like swinging around in a circle if you ask me.

As the song gets louder, the beating on the tables gets louder and stronger. I throw a piece of bread at Ori, who retaliates with a piece of onion. Soon there is food flying all over the place, as Bofur continues with his song. I keep laughing and cheering as I watch the company throw food all around while the elves look on in shock. It isn't long before I feel Fili pull me up by the arm and we twirl around the pillar that Bofur is singing from. I can't help but laugh and feel free as Fili and I are joined by Kili and Aliena in a small dance around the pillar.

Bofur finishes his song with a bow and everyone is laughing except the elves. We all cheer and clap with appreciation of Bofur singing. Gandalf and Lord Elrond don't look as amused as we are and that is when I notice that Thorin seems to have gone missing from the round table. I do a quick glance around before finding him standing near a tree. He has quite the smile on his face, which is possibly from our antics.

With the dinner finished, the dwarves all begin to make their way towards one of the open pavilions that they have claimed as theirs. Fili, Kili, Aliena and myself decide to go explore for a bit before heading to bed. We find a library, a garden, and eventually the training grounds by the time night has fallen. Fili is carrying Aliena as we make our way back to the guest room where she and I are staying.

"Inara." Comes Thorin's voice from behind us in a hallway that we were all walking down.

It causes all of us to stop. "Go ahead and take Aliena to my room if you could please. I will not be long." I tell the boys before sending them on their way.

"You disappeared after dinner." Thorin says as he finally catches up to where I am now standing.

"The boys and Aliena wanted to go explore, so I went with them to make sure that they stayed out of mischief."

He gives a nod as he considers my words. "Walk with me." He says as he offer me his arm to hold on to.

I take his left arm and link it with my right as we begin to walk down the hall way. Fili and Kili are still a ways ahead of us and I can see Aliena's head move slightly on Fili's shoulder.

"I am surprised that you enjoy the company of dwarves in comparison to elves."

"Well I have spent most of my life around males who are rowdy, rude, loud, and some broody. But some of the males were kind, with big hearts, and a good sense of humor. So for me, spending time with dwarves helps keep me from missing all my brothers and male cousins. Your company has become like a second family to me, and I would gladly fight to see them all happy and safe."

"I see."

We keep walking down the hallway before turning the corner that leads to my guest room. Thorin slows the pace of our walk to barely a movement. We come to a full stop at the door to my room as Thorin turns himself to face me. In one slow movement, he brings my right hand up to his lips before giving it a kiss across the knuckles. His eyes are looking up at me and I can see something hidden in them.

As he brings my hand away from his lips, I step closer to him and give him a kiss on his cheek. I seem to be on autopilot since I don't recall telling myself to do this. Slowly I back my head away from his cheek when he turns his head and captures my lips with his in a small chaste kiss. As quick as it happens the kiss ends just a quickly. Both of us staring at the other as if unsure as to what to do next.

"What is this?" I ask him softly.

"I do not know, Inara. But if you are willing, I would like to see where it goes." He continues to stare at me to see if I am going to reply.

Just then the door to my room opens with Fili and Kili standing in the door way. Thorin and I quickly back away from each other as if we are kids caught with our hands in the cookie jar. Both boys are smirking at us.

"Aliena is tucked into bed Inara." Kili says as the boys move out of the door way. Fili is the one to close the door behind them. "She could sleep through _anything_."

"Kili." Growls Thorin, "Get back to the others. Now. Both of you."

And just like that, the moment is gone. The boys bid me goodnight as they begin to walk away. I make my way to the door as Thorin starts to follow them.

"You know." I say, turning to look at Thorin. "Lord Elrond will be able to help us with understanding the map. Just be patient and give it time."

Thorin gives me a puzzled look. He seems surprised by what I have just said.

"Goodnight, Thorin." I give him a smile before entering my room.

I change myself out of the elaborate dress and put on a simple shift that only reaches my mid-thighs. I see that Aliena is still in her dress from dinner, and I don't have the heart to wake her just to remove it. Removing the braids that Arwen put in my hair I begin going thru my nightly routine. Once I am finished, I crawl into the bed, give Aliena a kiss, and lay down to sleep for the night.

I wake the next morning to Aliena shaking me awake. We do our morning routine of bathing, then getting dressed. The elves seemed to have cleaned the clothes that we had worn when we arrived, so Aliena and I decide to wear them today.

On our way to the dining area we run into Bofur, Oin, Bombur, Bifur, and Gloin. Bifur gestures as Bofur interprets that he is offering to give Aliena a piggyback ride to breakfast. She hastily agrees to it and soon Bifur is slightly jogging down the hall with Aliena squealing in happiness.

"It is good to see Bifur enjoying himself." I tell Bofur as we walk.

"Aye. He loves kids, but most parents don't allow them near him cause of his injury." Bofur says sadly.

"Never judge a book by its cover. That is what my grandmother used to tell me." Seeing his confusion as well as the others, I quickly explain. "It means not to judge someone by their appearance alone. You must see who they are on the inside first."

"Your grandmother sounds like fine lady." Bombur says.

"That she was. She could probably give you a run for your money at cooking or baking. She was the best. That was what she studied in school, but she never did open the bake shop. That was one of the regrets that she wished she had done before she passed."

The four dwarves look at me with a hint of sadness in their eyes. They could possibly relate to me, since they themselves have lost loved ones.

We finally make it to the dining area and I am about to join Balin and Bilbo at one of the tables when Thorin walks up to me.

"Would you sit with me?" he asks as he gestures towards the other table where Kili, Fili, Aliena, Bifur, Dwalin and Nori are sitting.

"As you wish."

I walk over to the table, and it is not lost on me that all the dwarves watched Thorin and I carefully. I sit next to Aliena near the end, and Thorin sits directly across from me. Gandalf and Lord Elrond join us as breakfast is brought out.

Breakfast consists of bread, biscuits, fruits, honey, and jams. It doesn't seem like much, but it will keep me and Aliena satisfied. There is several flavors of tea that are offered as well. I let Aliena try some chamomile tea, while I go for what smells like a black tea. The dwarves are talking as they eat, and as Kili lifts an arm up to reach for something, Aliena says something that turns his face red.

"Kili, you smell funny." She says, waving a hand in front of her face.

Everyone stops eating to look at Kili who is now a deep red with embarrassment. Fili breaks into laughter followed by Nori, Dwalin, Bifur, and a few others from the other table.

"It appears a bath is in order for us all." Thorin says with a serious tone over top of the laughter.

After breakfast all the dwarves disappear together leaving myself, Aliena, Bilbo and Gandalf alone. Bilbo decides to explore Rivendell and Gandalf says he has other business to attend to. So Aliena and I make our way towards the training grounds.

On our way there, I hear splashing coming from somewhere close by, so I send Aliena ahead to the training grounds. I wander a bit before running into Lord Elrond and Lindir.

"Best not to go that way, milady." Lindir says. His cheeks have a pink tinge to them.

"Now that you have told me not to go that way, my curiosity is now running wild."

"Best not go that way unless you are comfortable with nudity." Lord Elrond says with amusement.

"So they took my daughter's advice did they?"

"They have, in Lord Elrond's sacred fountain." Lindir replies with a hint of anger.

"They are dwarves, Lindir. They will use what they will." I say before going back the way I had came.

I reach the training grounds in a short amount of time. I am not ready to see naked dwarves any time soon. So Aliena and I decide to play hide and go seek in the arena using fake dummies and forts built out of shields. This goes on for an hour or so before I see Dwalin come into view.

"What you doing lasses?"

"Playing hide and go seek. Wanna play too?" Aliena asks him.

"Nah, I was hoping to challenge you, Inara into a sparring match."

I grin down at Aliena. "Would that be alright?" I ask her.

"Okay, but after your done can I spar too?" Aliena asks Dwalin. A loud throaty laughter escapes him.

"Whatever you want little lass."

Aliena helps Dwalin and I make a space by moving some of the dummies and shield forts. It isn't long after they are removed that Aliena makes her way to a bench to watch.

Both Dwalin and I are using wooden swords to dual with. I refuse to use a real one for now. We circle each other cautiously waiting to see if the other is going to strike first. Dwalin is the one to make the first move by charging at me. I block his strike then strike at him. He blocks my attack and so begins our fighting dance. Strike. Block. Parry. Swing. Neither of us is making any head way as to who was going to win. This goes on for an hour till someone decides to stop us.

"Dwalin!" a voice calls out from where the bench were Aliena is.

Dwalin stops in mid-swing as he hears his name. I take advantage of his error and knock the wooden sword from his hand before diving low and using a leg sweep to knock him off his feet. It happened so fast, that Dwalin lands flat on his back with a groan. There are a few claps and some laughter from the sidelines.

I turn to see that some of the elves and all of the company had been watching our match. It is Thorin's face that has me let out a breath.

Thorin makes his way to us and helps Dwalin to his feet.

"Nicely done lass." Dwalin says with a smile on his face.

"No it wasn't. You were going easy on me." I counter, knowing full well that he was indeed holding back.

"Aye I was. If I went at you full force, you would have been killed." And with that Dwalin walks away.

"That was reckless of you Inara. He is a fierce fighter and could have harmed you." Thorin says.

"Are you questioning my abilities, sir?" I ask Thorin with a playful tone. He turns to walk away, and I can't help myself. I swat his back end with my wooden sword. I should really know better, but I can't help feeling a bit giddy over my fake win with Dwalin.

Thorin turns back to look at me. "Is that how it is then? Are you challenging me?"

I can't help the smile that appears on my face as I twirl my wooden sword around in a bit of a show. Thorin lets out a growl before walking over to grab the wooden sword that Dwalin had lost.

"I will not go easy on you woman." He says as he stalks back over towards me.

"Bring it on old man." I tell him.

We circle each other once before Thorin attacks first. The blows against my sword are hard and I am trying to lose my grip. He keeps attacking while I am constantly defending. This keeps going on and on to the point where my muscles are starting to hurt. He has yet to land a blow on my person just as I have yet to do the same to him. I keep my eyes focused on him at all times. Something changes in his eyes, a spark of something that I can't place.

Before he has the chance to do whatever it is he is thinking, I charge at him keeping our wooden swords locked together. We are both pushing against the other. He has more muscle mass than I do, and I let myself go into a semi squat. This is exactly what I was hoping for. Making him believe he has the upper hand in just a ploy. The muscles in my legs tighten in preparation for what is to come. I let loose a battle cry of my own as I use my legs to propel me upwards at an angle, throwing my body weight into the small jump. It is with that small amount of force that gives me what I am looking for.

Thorin has to over correct his footing so he doesn't lose his balance. In doing so he has a weak point, which I exploit. Once my feet land on the ground, I quickly tackle him like a line man on a NFL Football team would a quarterback.

We both land on the ground and the spar quickly turns into a wrestling match. Thorin pins me to the ground, but I counter his pin by wrapping a leg around his thigh and twisting it. I use my other leg and an arm to propel my body into his, which causes him to roll from the force of the hit. With Thorin on his back, I move a knee to sit just below his belt line and pin his arms above his head. I apply a little pressure to my knee so that he knows if he moves it will crush whatever he has down below.

We hear clapping and cheerful shouts coming from the audience, but our eyes are lock on each other. My hair is like a curtain that surrounds us and blocks our faces from the others. We both huff and puff from all the exertions we have done during this match. However, we keep looking at each other without moving from our positions. A part of my brain screams at me to run, while the other part starts to go into the gutter. It is Thorin's voice that breaks the spell.

"Well played Inara, Amrâlimê" Thorin says in a low husky voice. He is about to lean up to try and kiss me, but I panic.

I quickly get up off of Thorin and run as fast as I can, past everyone who was watching. I run out of the arena and do not stop. I run and run till I find myself in one of the many gardens in Rivendell. I stop running before looking around to find a place to hide. I see what looks like a cross between a weeping willow tree and a Japanese cherry blossom tree. I make my way thru its hanging leaves and settle myself against the trunk of the tree.

It is here that Thorin finds me a few hours later.

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**I know, I created a cliff hanger. I decided to put it here than later on because it just made more since to me. I had fun writing the dinner part with Bofur singing and all. I did not attempt to write the song out because I didn't want to screw it up. Just so no one gets confused, Thorin has already left Elrond see the map, but like the book Thorin will have to wait a few days before Elrond is able to read the moon runes. (Or at least my book copy of the Hobbit says they were in Rivendell a few weeks. Not sure if this is true or not.) **

**Selene**


	7. A Heart to Heart

**To forewarn all of you, I won't be able to update this story much due to Final Papers, Final Projects, and Final Exams. So please be patient with me.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit, or its characters, or its events.**

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I hear heavy footsteps coming towards my hiding place by the tree trunk. I stay sitting with my knees pulled up to my chest and arms wrapped around them. The string of pale pink leaves on vines part to show Thorin walking towards me.

"Here you are." He says. "When you missed lunch most of us decided to go looking for you."

"I wanted to be alone." I say just loud enough for him to hear. When I fail to keep speaking, Thorin moves to sit beside me on the ground.

"I apologize if I have been too forward." He says before pulling his own knees to his chest. "Dwarves are not a patient race. Especially when it comes to finding our One."

I look over at him with a quizzical look. "What is a One?"

He turns his head to look at me before answering. "It is what we call our other half. That person is someone who completes us, or makes us feel whole when they are around. That is what a One is."

"Oh." I respond. I take a deep breath before asking my question. "And am I your One? Is that why we keep dancing around each other?"

Thorin chuckles at my analogy before answering my question. "I will answer, that to me, yes you are my One. However, I will not force you into it."

I let out a soft sigh. "You know most makes where I come from don't want to become saddled with a female who comes as a package deal. Sometimes if the female isn't pure, males will not want anything to do with them. So for me to hear, from your nephews, that you have feelings for me is very hard for me to make sense of. Don't dwarf females show interest in you?"

He leans his head back to that it rests on the trunk of the tree. "Most dwarrowdams don't show much interest in me and the ones that do only do so because of my title. As for you being a, as you put it, a package deal, it doesn't bother me. As for you not being pure, that was against your will and I will not hold it against you. As long as you don't hold my age against me."

"Just how old are you?"

"I will be 195 this coming winter." He replied.

"Wow. 171 years difference between us. That doesn't sound too bad. Add into it that we are both stubborn and have tempers. Are you sure about this? We just might end up killing each other." We both laugh at my statement. "You know, Aliena asked me if we could stay with you forever."

Thorin smiles before replying. "You both may stay with me forever." He reaches for my hand and brings it to his lips. He places a kiss on the knuckles before lowering it and our hands intertwine with each other.

"I will not lie, but truthfully I am scared Thorin. I can see in your eyes that you speak true, but I need to be cautious before I give my heart to anyone. I have to think about what is best for Aliena and for myself. All I ask is for some time before making it official and letting the others know. Can you wait?"

"Take as much time as you need, Amrâlimê. Perhaps we should head back now." He gives me a smile and we both move to stand up while still holding hands.

We make our way out from under the tree and the garden. We continue walking until we stop in front of my door.

"I will see you at dinner." He gives me a quick kiss on my cheek before letting go of my hand. He gives me a small smile and walks down the hallway.

That night I didn't bother to change into a dress, but into a brown blouse and black pants. Aliena was also dressed simple for dinner. Dinner was a quiet affair with salad and bread being on the menu. After dinner, the dwarves made their way to their pavilion with Aliena and me following. It wasn't long till Dwalin was trying to teach Aliena how to fight using sticks as swords. Since Aliena is so young, Fili was behind her helping to guide her arms using his hands. It was a cute sight to see and most of the other dwarves were laughing at the site of a burly dwarf taking on a child.

I am sitting by Kili as he is working on making arrows. Bofur is heating up a sausage before he calls out to Bombur. The sausage goes flying across the fire and Bombur catches it before the stool creaks and breaks under his weight. Bombur's face is a dark red as he tries to get up.

"Need some help there Bombur?" I ask as I get up to go help the dwarf.

"Lassie, it is going to take more than just you to help him up." Gloin.

"Then I suggest a few of you help me get Bombur up before I give myself a hernia." I say as I try to help Bombur roll to a sitting position. Dwalin and Fili stop their lesson with Aliena to help me get Bombur up onto his feet.

Once we have Bombur back onto his feet, Dwalin and Fili go back to their lesson.

"Do you know any good stories Inara?" Ori asks, with his journal and quill in his hands.

"What kind of story would you like to hear?"

"Know any good battle stories, lass?" asks Gloin.

"Of course." I get a smile on my face as I begin to remember the story of Achilles and Hector. With my mind made up, I begin to tell the dwarves the Iliad. They are all enraptured by the tale, and when I have finished the story they are all quiet.

"You mean to tell me a woman caused a war?" asked Dwalin. He and Fili had stopped their lesson with Aliena in the middle of my story.

"Well yes. However, Agamemnon was already itching for a fight. All he did was use his brother's wife leaving as an excuse."

"Mommy, I am tired." Aliena says during her yawn.

"'I agree. It is time for us all to turn in, I think." I look at each dwarf as I say this.

I hear numerous goodnights, as I pick up Aliena and leave them. Aliena is already fast asleep as I carry her. Walking down the halls, with Aliena in my arms, I notice Balin and Thorin walking towards me.

Thorin says something to Balin, before he makes his way to me. Balin continues walking past me, heading to where the other dwarves are.

"I noticed you weren't with the others earlier." I say softly.

"Lord Elrond was able to decipher the moon runes on the map." Thorin says before gesturing for me to continue walking.

We started walking down the hall before our conversation continues.

"So, anything we should be concerned about?" I ask Thorin.

"We need to get to the mountain before Durin's Day, to be able to open a secret entrance."

"I see." Aliena starts to slide out of my grip. "So that must mean we will be needing to leave soon."

"Yes." Thorin goes quiet with a pensive look on his face.

"I will be going with you, Thorin." I tell him with my voice full of resolve.

We finally end up at my door, before he bids me goodnight. He gives Aliena a kiss on her forehead, then give me a light kiss.

The days pass by with training being the focus point of each day. It is only a matter of time before we leave Rivendell. The late evenings are spent with the dwarves, telling stories or just having fun. During one of these evenings, something changes.

I had left Aliena with Dwalin and Bofur as I searched for Bilbo who seemed to have disappeared. Walking the many stairs for what seemed like hours, I finally find Bilbo. I can also hear Lord Elrond and Gandalf talking. They are speaking about Thorin and gold sickness. Bilbo turns around and sees me standing there on the stairs. Then I hear footsteps behind me. I turn to see Thorin coming to stand next to me. He has a sad look on his face.

Reaching out a hand I take hold of Thorin's. I give his hand a squeeze before our finger intertwine. I try to give him a reassuring smile, but I know that it isn't much. Our eyes lock on the others and I can feel a warmth spread through me.

Gandalf and Elrond's voices soon disappear but we have not moved from our spot. The extremely soft sound of Bilbo's footsteps are the only sound till there is nothing left but the sound of the waterfalls. It is then the walls inside me come crashing down. In one move I push Thorin up against the staircase wall and crash my lips to his. He is startled by this at first, but then responds very enthusiastically. He spins up around so that I am up against the wall and soon is moving his lips down the side of my neck.

"I don't believe them. I know you will not fall to the sickness."

Thorin brings his lips to mine again before pulling them away. "It is in my blood." He says softly.

I grab him by the shoulders and pull him so that there no space between our bodies. One of my hands move to rest at the nape of his neck while the other stays on his shoulder. "You will not fall while I am with you." I look him straight in the eyes and can see that his pupils are rather large.

"I have already fallen, woman."

He is back to kissing me and it isn't long before we lose ourselves to each other. We remain on those stairs, with me still up against the wall. I look up to the sky as we are both coming down from our high. I send a quick prayer, up to whoever watches over the dwarves, to help give me the strength to keep them all safe.

The next day, there is a flourish of movement. Gandalf had told Balin and Thorin that we need to leave by tomorrow morning, but to look discreet about gathering provisions. So most of the day is spent trying to find supplies. I find the armory and walk through it to find myself a weapon. After taking stock of what is there, I decide to pick out a few small daggers and a staff. The rest of the day, I spend with Oin and Gloin, learning how to use the staff and working on my swordsmanship. Gloin had Fili sharpen the tomahawks, daggers, and my sword.

I make my way back to my room to prepare for dinner. However, when I enter my room I notice a dark blue dress with silver trim laying across the end of the bed. It has long sleeves with the silver trim at the bottom of the sleeves. The bottom of the skirt also has the silver trim. The neckline is in a square design with a silver lace trim. It almost reminds me of a 1770s period dress but with longer sleeves. There is also a small trinket box sitting next the dress. Inside the box are several blue and silver beads.

"I see you have found our gift to you, lass." Comes a voice off to my left.

I turn to see Bofur, Arwen, Fili, Kili and Aliena standing inside my room to my left. "You mean to say you all did this?" I ask surprised to find them in my room.

"Of course." Says Bofur "Our future queen needs some nice to complement our king."

"I don't understand?" Actually, I do understand. It doesn't surprise me that Bofur just called me a future queen. Looks like everyone knows about Thorin and I. Makes me wonder if anyone say or heard our little encounter last night.

"We had a suspicion that our uncle may have chosen you for his one." Fili says with a smile on his face.

"We would be proud to call you our aunt, Inara." Kili walks up to me and places a hand on my cheek. "So please, let us help you get ready for dinner. It would be our honor to help."

I nod my head in agreement as a few happy tears run down my face. The next hour or so is a blur as Arwen helps Aliena and I wash up. Bofur, Kili, and Fili are still in the main room working on something that is to go with the dress. After finishing with the bath, Arwen sends me back to the main room while she helps Aliena dress.

I walk to the main room with just a towel wrapped around me. The three dwarves look up in shock as I enter the room. Kili and Fili give me a large smile as Bofur walks towards me.

"Let's get you ready." Is all Bofur says to me as he takes my hand and leads me towards a chair.

"I am surprised that Thorin is allowing you three to help me get ready." I say with a smirk on my face.

"Actually, it was him who told us to help you." Kili says.

"Especially since our mother, your soon-to-be sister-in-law, who taught Kili and I all the ins and outs of getting a lady dressed." Fili says with a smile on his face.

"So she used you both as her ladies-in-waiting then?" I am now trying hard not to laugh at the looks on their faces. Poor boys.

With our banter ended, I sit down and watch in awe as Kili and Fili bring a shift towards me. I allow them to put the shift on before I remove my towel. Bofur sneaks behind me and pulls my arms up. Fili pulls a corset down over my raised arms and head. Next it is Kili placing a long skirt over my head. I stand up to allow the skirt to fall to the floor.

It is at this time that Arwen and Aliena join us in the room. Aliena is wearing a navy blue dress with some gold trims to it. Her hair has been brushed but nothing else has been done to it. Fili walks over to Aliena and directs her to a settee before braiding her hair. Arwen walks over to me and begins to tighten the stays in my corset. Once she is done with the corset, Bofur and Kili bring over the dress I am to wear tonight. Arwen takes the dress from them and helps me get into it.

"You look beautiful milady." Arwen says as Kili and Bofur both nod in agreement.

"Mommy. You look like a princess." Aliena says to me as she walks up to me.

I can see small braids done in some kind of dwarfish design. Fili has added a few ribbons to the braided design.

"Time for your hair to be done." Fili says to me. Kili takes my hand and leads me to a short stool in the middle of the room.

I sit down on the stool and all three dwarves surround me. Bofur hands me the trinket box with a smile on his face and gives me a wink. Fili and Kili begin to brush my hair and braid it. Bofur opens the box and hands some of the contents to Fili and Kili. As I sit there, I can see Aliena and Arwen watching with awe as the dwarves work. It takes an hour before they are done with my hair. Arwen holds a small, handheld mirror. The design is very intricate; a braid wraps loosely around my head with a think braid going down my back. All throughout the design there are beads and jewels woven into my braid.

It is a knock at my door that has us all taking a deep breath. Bofur and Kili walk over to my door as Fili takes my arm. I stand up from my seat, and allow Fili to guide me to the door. Aliena is quick to follow us but keeps a safe distance to stay off of my near two foot long train of my dress. Fili is quick to back away from me as Bofur opens the door.

Thorin is standing outside my door and a smile appears on his face. Kili takes my hand and leads me outside of my room before giving my hand to Thorin.

"You look nice, Inara." Thorin says to me as he places my hand on his arm.

"Thank you." I say as we begin to walk down to dinner.

Behind us Fili is leading Aliena with Bofur and Kili following them. Arwen, it seems, has decided to leave us alone. We reach our destination and all of the dwarves are standing around waiting for us. All of them give Thorin and I a small bow as we walk past them all; and then again as we are seated at a table. The elves bring us food, but for the most part leave us be. A merry time is had by us all at dinner, and afterwards there is music played by Dwalin, Bofur, Fili, and Bombur. It isn't long into the night that we all decide to turn in.

It is early in the morning, before the light of dawn that I wake from my sleep. My stuff and Aliena's stuff is already packed and waiting with the dwarves things. I quickly get myself and Aliena dressed in some of our traveling clothes. I carry her as we leave our room to find the dwarves.

They are all awake and waiting near one of the paths that will lead us away from Rivendell. Arwen is standing there with them. I had discussed with her that I had planned for Aliena. It was agreed with all of us, and Gandalf, that she would be going with Gandalf instead of us. It was for her protection that I was agreeing with this. I have an idea as to what was coming next, and I didn't want her to be involved unless she was to be with Gandalf.

I hand my sleeping daughter over to Arwen. "Take care of her for me?"

"Of course. You are right in allowing Gandalf to take her instead of with you. Especially if there is still trouble out there." Arwen says, as she holds my daughter close to her.

I give Aliena a soft kiss on her forehead before turning away. Fili and Kili are waiting for me, since the rest of them have started making their way up the path. It is with a heavy heart that I follow them.

"You are doing the right thing for our new cousin." Kili says as he puts a hand on my shoulder.

"That's what I keep telling myself." I say before starting to walk up the path.

"If we run into anything else that is even more dangerous, it will be best that she isn't there." Fili says in an attempt to help sooth me.

We keep climbing up the path till Thorin has Balin take the lead. As I start to walk past him, he gently grabs my arm.

"You did the right thing. She will be safer with Gandalf than us, for the time being. He will make sure that she is unharmed till they catch up with us. Be brave." He gives me a quick kiss before letting go of my arm.

We travel for days over grasslands and rocky hills. We stop at night to sleep, and it is during the nights that Thorin and I use his night watch to spend time together. If any of the others hear us they aren't letting it be known. Since that night in Rivendell, I am finding it hard to keep myself from pouncing on Thorin during the day. So at night, we allow our passions take control and it sometimes has us leaving marks on the other.

Finally after a month and a half of walking, we reach the Misty Mountains. Gandalf and Aliena still have yet to reach us. At this point my nerves are really driving me crazy to the point where I am barely sleeping. It is decided that we are to continue without them. So begin to climb into the Misty Mountains.

For two days we are climbing with the sun shining on us. On the third day, it has started to rain and it continues into the following day. It is on this evening that the rain has made it so hard for us to see even two feet in front of us.

"Bofur can you see where we are going?" I shout to him. I don't know if he can hear me even though he is standing right in front of me.

"No. We are all playing follow the leader." Bofur says.

"Look out!" shouts Dwalin before he grabs Bilbo, who was standing behind me, to keep him from falling.

"Are you alright Bilbo?" I ask as Bilbo tries to catch his wits.

Rocks soon fall from above our heads. I push Bilbo up against the mountain side as larger pieces of rocks are falling. The next thing I know the ground is shaking under my feet.

"Bless me! The stories are true. Giants. Stone Giants!" I can hear coming from Bofur.

I turn to see that yes, there are two giants fighting. Bofur is too close to the edge, so I grab him to pull him back. As I slip past Bofur and the mountain side, so that I am in between him and Fili. That is when I feel the ground shake even harder under my feet. There is a crack starting to form between Fili and Kili. Without thinking, I push Fili as hard as I can and he collides with Kili on the other side of the crack.

"Inara!" both boys yell as the crack becomes so great that there is no way I can jump to them.

"Hold on, Inara!" I feel Bofur grab my hand.

Bofur, Dwalin, Ori, Bombur, Bilbo and I are holding on for dear life to the leg of the giant we are on. We see the rest of the company make it to safety from where they were earlier. It isn't long before the giant we are on is defeated and his body is falling apart. The leg we are on starts to move towards the rock face.

"Jump!" I yell to the others as I grab Bilbo's hand. We all jump for the oncoming rock ledge, but Bilbo and I barely make it. We had landed on our stomachs, but my legs are hanging over the edge. I am grateful that everyone is safe.

All of us make it safely to the ledge, and that is where Thorin and Gloin find us. I look to my right to see Bilbo has made it to safety.

"Inara!" I hear Thorin's voice from my left before feeling his hands grabbing at my back to help pull the rest of me onto the ledge trail. "Are you hurt?" I can hear a strain in his voice.

"I don't think so." I tell him as he helps me to stand on my feet.

"Dwalin. We need to find shelter." Thorin shouts past me.

Dwalin and Gloin both head up the trail before shouting back that there is a cave. As Thorin and I start to walk up the trail, I am hit by a sudden pain in my stomach. I bend over and take deep breaths to help fight the pain I am feeling.

"Oin!" Thorin yells as he sweeps me up bridal style before continuing on to the cave. Dwalin and Gloin are standing in the entrance of cave as Thorin walks past them. He only enters a few feet into the cave before setting me down on the ground. "You will be okay, Inara."

"Of course I will be. I probably hit the stone too hard." I tell him as I begin to curl up into a ball while laying on my side. I keep taking deep breaths till Oin is able to come to my side.

"I will need to do an exam on your abdomen." Oin says before looking at Thorin. I give a quick nod of agreement before lifting my blouse up to my chest. He pokes and prods in certain areas, before he gives his diagnosis. "Seems to me that she may have some bruised insides is all."

I move my blouse back down as Thorin shouts for the other to enter the cave. Everyone begins to settle into the cave. Thorin tells Gloin that we can't have a fire tonight and that Bofur is to take the first watch, as he walks out of the cave. I notice that Fili and Kili are missing from the group. I am so tired, that I begin to fall asleep where Thorin had set me down.

At some point during the night, I start to feel very warm and roll over to the warm spot. Then I feel an arm settle across my side before a hand begins to make gentle patterns on my back. The warm spot is none other than Thorin. We stay like this till Bofur and Bilbo's voices wake us.

"Wake up! Wake up!" Thorin shouts, but it is too late. All of us begin to fall as the floor moves out from under us.

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**So another cliff hanger. Yes I changed a few things. I originally wanted to wait till the mountain path for Inara and Thorin to get together, but somehow those two had other ideas. **

**Next chapter deals with Goblin Town.**

**Reviews are always welcomed.**

**Selene**


	8. Goblin Town and a Nasty Pale Orc

**Sorry for the wait, but my final papers have been eating all of my free time. I am going to ask right now if there is someone who can give me a website or any information regarding dwarf customs in the Tolkien Lore. I spent most of my paycheck on buying the rest of Tolkien's books and even with the appendices (from one of the LOTR books), I am at a bit of a loss. So any help would be greatly appreciated. **

**I would like to say thank you to the reviewers and followers of this story. You guys give me the strength to wake up every day with a smile on my face. I love you all.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit or its characters or its events.**

* * *

I feel like I am on one of those free-fall rides that you would find at a carnival. I keep my eyes closed waiting for the hard landing that is coming. Finally that hard landing comes but it is a little bit softer than I had expected. I finally open my eyes to find myself laying on the top of a dwarf pig-pile and it is Fili that has cushioned my landing.

"Sorry Fili." I say as I begin to move off of him.

"Nothing to worry about, Inara. You are lighter than the rest of us." Fili says as he begins to wiggle himself free from laying on top of Balin.

I move off of the pile of dwarves when I hear a screech coming towards us. I turn to see where it is coming from and I really wish I hadn't looked. A large group of disgusting creatures are charging towards us. Before I can reach for my weapons, two creatures break from the group and tackle me to the ground. I try to fight them off but they are way too strong.

"Inara!" Fili says before he too is grabbed.

I turn my head and see that the rest of the company has over taken by the creatures. I can feel my wrists are being bound behind my back before I am roughly lifted off the ground. The two creatures begin to take me away and I try stop them by kicking at them.

"Let go of us!"

"Leave her alone!"

I fight even harder against the two creatures that are now getting angry at me. A larger creature lands in front of us and snarls at me. I try to kick out at this larger opponent but the creature punches me in the stomach. The hit causes me to double over, and I can barely catch my breath from the hit. Yup, I will definitely have some battle damage after all of this is over. I can hear the dwarves calling out to me and some of them are trying to fight their way to get to me. It is no use though, these creatures are strong and their numbers many.

All of us are being led, or in my case dragged, by the creatures through this godforsaken place. As we go deeper into this hell, I can hear the most disgusting music being played. I really wish whoever is singing would just die already. Or better yet, put out of their misery.

The creatures that are dragging me stop, but I keep my head down. Oh, thank the higher powers that be, whoever was singing has now stopped.

"Catchy. Isn't it? It is one of my own compositions." comes a voice.

"You call that a song? I have heard better songs being sung by dying animals." I say while still keeping my head down. Sarcasm, I love it.

"Who said that?" the same voice as before shouts.

Something grabs my hair and pulls it so hard that I have to lift my head up. It is now that I really wish I was blind. Standing in front of me is a rather large, smelly, and very disgusting _thing _looking straight at me. Out of the corner of my right eye, I can see the company standing there. Kili, Bifur, Ori and Nori are all giving me worried looks. Some of the creatures, which I now think are called goblins, begin searching the dwarves.

"Well now what do we have here? Who would be so bold as to come armed into my kingdom. Spies! Thieves? Assassins!" The big, ugly goblin king says.

"Dwarves, your malevolence." Replies one of the goblins. The Goblin King looks back at the company before looking at the goblin who just spoke.

"Dwarves? What about that one?" the Goblin King says as he points towards me. "Bring that one to me."

"Let her go! Leave her alone!" I can hear from most of the company members as I am dragged closer to his ugliness. His large face comes down towards mine and he takes a big whiff. Then the bastard pulled a Jabba the Hut. Yup, the ugly bastard licked me from my chest, up my neck ,and ending the lick at my face. That is when the dwarves started yelling and cursing at the Goblin King.

"A female of the race of men, yet she smells like a dwarf." The Goblin Kind gives me a creepy smile. "Search them. Every crack. Every crevice. Search her as well."

A small group of the goblins surrounds me and begins running their hands all over me. I try to break free from them but I am roughly shoved to the ground. I can hear Fili, Kili, Dwalin, Bofur and even Thorin calling out to me during this invasion of my personal space. A couple of the goblins are getting a bit too frisky in their searching. So I bite a few of the hands that pass too closely to my face, and keep my legs kicking during all of this. Finally the goblins stop their search after pulling all of my weapons and my pack off of me. I am again roughly pulled back up. It isn't lost on me that my blouse has been untucked from my pants and half of the buttons of said blouse have been ripped off. The top part of the corset I am wearing underneath is showing; which means a healthy amount of cleavage is showing. However, with a goblin pushing against my upper back, I am leaning over a bit too much. If I lean over anymore, I am sure that my bust will not stay in the corset. It also isn't helping that I am breathing heavily due to my anger building. Other than my blouse, the rest of my clothes are fine.

"What are you doing in these parts?" the Goblin King asks.

I see that Thorin is about to speak up, but Oin beats him to it. As Oin speaks, Thorin looks at me and moves his lips. He is asking me if I am alright and I give him a small nod. I can see a murderous look appear on his face as he takes into account the damage done to my clothes. Kili is also looking at me and I can see his cheeks have a pink tint to them due to my blouse. I don't blame him for getting a bit embarrassed at the sight of my corset. I can see some of the other dwarves as well glancing slightly at me before turning their eyes away. Since I am not really paying attention to the conversations between the Goblin King and now Bofur, I am shocked at what I hear next.

"Since they will not talk; we will make them squawk. Bring up the bone-breaker. We will start with her!" The Goblin King says as he points at me.

"Wait!" Thorin yells as he moves so that he stand in front of the company.

"Well. Well. Well." The Goblin King says in delight. "Look who it is. Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror. King under the Mountain. Oh, but I am forgetting. You don't have a mountain and you are not a king. Which make you, nobody really."

"You are wrong!" I yell at the Goblin King. "You don't need a kingdom to be a king. It is in your actions, treatment of others, and deeds that determine a king. And you, you god forsaken piece of filth, are no king! You are a nothing, you fucking bastard!" I am now attempting to wiggle myself free from the multiple goblin hands that are trying to hold me away from the company and the Goblin King.

"Silence her!" The Goblin King shouts. I find myself being gagged with a piece of some nasty smelling rope before he continues talking to Thorin. "I know someone who would pay a pretty price for your head. Just a head, nothing attached to it. Perhaps you know of whom I speak. An old enemy of yours. A pale orc astride a white warg."

Thorin's face begins to falter even more as he understands of whom the Goblin King is speaking of. I don't need to hear what Thorin says, because I already know. So, I try to double my effort into wrestling myself free from my captors. A shadow blocks the torchlight, and I stop my movements to look up at the Goblin King.

The Goblin King moves a bit closer to me before turning off to the right. "Send word to the pale orc. Tell him I have found his prize. And something else to amuse the orc as well." He turns back to look at me with a smile on his face. "Oh he so does enjoy an amusement."

The company and Thorin all try to make their way to me, but the goblins surround them even more. I, however, keep letting my anger build, and I know that my brown eyes are now closer to looking black. Sometimes, anger can be used as a weapon and that is how I am planning to use mine.

The Goblin King has been singing another song as torture machines are being brought to where we all are. Each member of the company has several goblins holding them so that no one can escape or attempt to get to me. A couple of goblins have begun searching through our weapons, but luckily none have searched my pack yet. Something changes in the way a few of the goblins behave, and the next thing I know I am pushed down to the floor. I turn my head to the right and I can see Thorin is also on the floor as well. Our eyes lock before I feel a whip hitting my back. I flinch but I refuse to cry out or let out a tear. He shouts something, but the crack of the whip, as it hits my back again, drowns it out. I close my eyes now as I try to focus on something else besides the pain that is running through me. Even with my eyes closed, a bright light flashes from somewhere. Then I hear the sound of our savoir.

The goblins begin to drag me across the floor and I try to fight back as much as I can. However, it is Dwalin, Kili, and Thorin who come to my aid. Kili and Dwalin are fighting off the goblins as Thorin is cutting away the bindings on my wrists and my gag. He pulls me into a hug before helping me to my feet.

"Are you alright?" he asks as he helps me run to the company.

"I will live for now, but you had better give me a weapon. I am going to teach these goblins to never mess with me." I reply as the company soon surrounds us. My tomahawks and sword are handed to me by Bofur and Fili is putting my pack on his back. I place one of my tomahawks into place at my waist. The other tomahawk and my sword I hold onto.

We make our way to Gandalf and it is then that I notice that he isn't alone. Aliena is with him and she is being carried by Dwalin, then is passed to Fili, then to another member of the company. This continues as we fight and run our way through the winding paths of this place. It would seem that each member, except myself, holds Aliena before passing her to another member of the company. During all this, Thorin, myself, and the company keep fighting the goblins. I can feel the pain from my back disappearing as my adrenaline and anger numb the pain.

Finally we reach a dead end and there is nowhere else for us to go. The Goblin King makes his appearance again, by appearing up through the floor. I am not really paying attention to what is going on until the floor beneath us gives way. We are all free-falling yet again.

I land, on my already injured back, on the wooden planks when I reach the bottom. I let out a gasp, then a moan, before trying to turn to the side. It is then that Ori lands on top of me and I let out a painful cry.

"Sorry. How badly are you hurt?" he asks as he is moving off of me.

I don't dare reply out of fear that I am going to either scream out in pain, or yell at Ori. Gandalf quickly helps Ori with pulling me off of the wooden planks as Aliena moves away from Gandalf. As Gandalf attempts to check me over for any possible spine or internal injuries, the dwarves start shouting. I look up and see that the Goblin King's body has landed on those who didn't move fast enough out of the rubble. I can see Aliena run over to help Kili out of his spot from the rubble. Gandalf whispers something and I can feel the pain from inside of my body disappear.

"You will still need Oin to check the whip marks once we leave here." Gandalf says to me in a serious tone.

"You will still need these." Ori says in a soft tone as he hands me my sword and a tomahawk.

"Gandalf!" Kili shouts, which the tone and way he says it reminds me of either Merry, Pippin, or Sam. Oh yes, my friend Alyssa had forced me to marathon the Lord of the Rings movie series with her. Mind you, most of what I remember was that every time someone called out for Gandalf you had to take a shot of some form of alcohol. That was my first and only time that I had ever gotten drunk and we were underage at the time too.

"There is too many of them!" Dwalin shouts as he helps a few of the dwarves out from under the rubble.

"There is only one thing that will save us. Daylight. Come on!" Gandalf responds as he helps pull Oin out from the rubble. I quickly place my tomahawk on the other side of my waist, since its brother occupies one side already.

As we all start to run, I can see that Kili is carrying Aliena in his arms. Thorin comes up to me and takes my hand as we start to run. All of us are following Gandalf as he leads us through the catacombs to escape the horde of goblins that are chasing us.

Finally, we reach an opening to the outside world and there is daylight. Once outside of the tunnel, I slow down to try and catch my breath. Thorin brings us to a stop as everyone else stops to catch their breath as well. Kili puts Aliena down and she comes running over to where I am.

"Mommy!" she says as she runs towards me. Before she can get close to me, Thorin steps in front of me and picks her up.

"You mother is injured young one." He tells her as he turns towards Oin. "Oin. Check Inara's injuries."

"Aye. Let us see how bad it is lass." Oin says as he makes his way to me.

"It isn't too bad." I tell Oin as he begins to look at my back. Once he touches the whip marks, I let out a hiss.

"Is mommy going to be alright?" Aliena asks Thorin as she begins to play with one of the braids in his hair. He gives her a kiss on the side of her head before he whispers something to her. What he says, I don't know, but she wiggles in his arms. So he lets her down before she goes over to Fili and Kili. Both boys bend down and wrap their arms around her, doing a small group hug.

Balin comes over with a pack that he managed to grab before we ran the first time. Thorin wanders over to Gandalf who is now asking where Bilbo went. I loose part of the conversation as something cold stings against the two cuts on my back and I let out a mangled cry of pain.

"That will do lass. However, I suggest we get you another shirt." Balin says to me before walking over to Fili, Kili, and Aliena. Fili stands up and leaves the little group hug to bring me my pack.

"Here. I managed to get to this before our escape." He is keeping his eyes to the ground.

"Thank you Fili." I take my pack from Fili and begin to search for a new shirt. To my dismay, all I have left is a tunic and another corset. Placing my sword up against the tree, I make my way around said tree to attempt to change my top and corset. Unknown to me, the tree I just chose is the same tree that Bilbo is hiding behind, though I can't see him. I make short work of changing and the new corset is under the tunic. I can hear talking from the other side of the tree, but I don't pay much attention to it as I place the ruined corset and blouse into my pack. I come back around the tree to find everyone looking at me, and that is when I notice that Bilbo is standing opposite from where I am.

"What?" I ask as Bofur, Bombur, Gloin, and Dwalin look at me. Shaking my head, I grab my sword and walk over to where Kili, Aliena, Bifur, and Fili are standing. Fili takes my pack from me and places it on his back. Aliena is being held by Bifur, so I reach out to give her a small hug and a kiss on the cheek. I pull away from Bifur and Aliena when I hear it. A sound we are all dreading to have to deal with.

"Out of the frying pan." Thorin says as he hears the warg howl.

"And into the fire. Run!" Gandalf yells at us.

"Aliena." I look at her then to Bifur. "Please keep her safe for me Bifur."

Bifur says something with a nod before running off. Myself, Fili, and Kili hold off on running till we see Thorin start to run as well. We run through the trees downhill, and I am starting to find it hard not to trip. Thorin grabs my free hand to try and help lead me away from possible tripping hazards. Fili and Kili are now ahead of us as we run. However, we aren't fast enough as a few wargs finally catch up to us. Some of us have to stop to try and defend ourselves. Bilbo, it would seem, has killed a warg by himself. Another warg jumps to attack Bilbo from behind, but Thorin and I take it down. It is then that I hear Gandalf yelling.

"Climb! Into the trees!"

The company quickly climbs into the trees. Thorin and I are sharing a tree, and a branch, by ourselves. Thorin is holding the branch above us in one hand and puts his sword in its sheath. I am standing closer to the trunk of the tree, so I am slightly leaning up against it with the side of my body. I sheath my sword as well. Thorin moves a bit closer to me before wrapping an arm around my waist. Feeling more secure, I look around and see that Dwalin has Aliena with him and Balin in the next tree. Fili, Kili, Bofur and Bifur are sharing a tree and the rest of the company are further back behind us. Bilbo, I notice, is now climbing up the tree that has Fili, Kili, Bofur, and Bifur in it. I let out a sigh of relief

"We are safe, for now." I say to Thorin, but he is looking down at the wargs. They are trying to climb the tree, but to no avail. Then they all stop. I look to where Thorin is now looking before taking in a breath.

"Azog." I hear Thorin say in disbelief.

As this white monster talks, I quickly say a prayer to Mahal to protect us in my mind. It isn't lost on Azog the position Thorin and I are in and he is using it to bait Thorin.

"Don't listen to him. He is only trying to get to you." I say to Thorin. Azog then points his metal claw at us and I can feel Thorin's hand tighten at my waist.

The wargs begin in earnest to bring us down from our trees. Our tree beings to topple under the warg's siege and we quickly jump to the next tree. It continues like this till we all end up in the last tree at the edge of the cliff. Gandalf quickly lights an acorn on fire and throws it out at the wargs. That flaming acorn soon has a brush fire going. He lights another acorn on fire and passes it to Fili, who helps the others light other acorns on fire. Soon everyone is throwing flaming acorns at the wargs, except Aliena and myself. The flames are enough to keep the wargs at bay, but the tree doesn't hold up with all of our weight on it. It begins to topple over.

I quickly swivel myself to straddle the trunk, as the tree topples. Once the tree stops moving, I wiggle myself towards Balin who has Aliena on his back. I am pulling her off of his back when I hear a battle cry come from a distance. I pull her into my arms before glancing back towards where the sound came from. That is when I see, through the flames, Thorin battling Azog and his warg. I turn away from the battle to see Aliena looking at me.

"Dad needs you." She says softly to me. I give her a smile before kissing her forehead. I make sure she has a good grip on the trunk before wiggling my way backwards along the tree trunk. Once I am far enough away from Aliena, I look to the other members of the company. I can see them staring at the battle and a few looking at me. I bend my head down and close my eyes.

"Mahal, please grant me your power to help aid Thorin in his fight against his enemy. To the other gods of this world, I ask that you send me courage and strength to help protect everyone in this company." I whisper softly. I begin to pull myself up to stand when I start to feel an energy enter me. I lift my head and take a deep breath before opening my eyes. It is then that I have an out of body experience. As I see myself I can see that something in me has changed.

"Inara!" I hear Kili and Fili shout as my body turns away from the company and begins to walk towards the fight.

"Inara. My girl, what have you done?" I hear Gandalf say with a sad tone to his voice.

I follow my body as it makes its way through the flames. My hands draw the tomahawks as it gets closer. As I follow, I can see Thorin in the mouth of the warg. Then I see one of my tomahawk hit the warg in the ribs. It throws Thorin away before turning towards my body. Another tomahawk sails through the air and Azog knocks it aside. Then my body charges with my sword raised and it lets out a battle cry I have never heard before. But it is the sound of my voice that sends a shockwave through my essence. That is not my voice. It would seem that something else has taken over my body, as I watch it do fighting moves that I have never seen before.

"Inara." I hear Thorin whisper before passing out. I suddenly find essence-self standing next to him. I bend down and touch his face. I try to speak but nothing comes out of my mouth. Then I hear that voice come from my body. I look up to see Azog holding my body by the throat before throwing it towards where Thorin is laying. My essence-self stands up and as my real body passes through, I can feel myself being suck back into it.

My right shoulder hits the grounds first before I go rolling a few feet to a stop. Azog lets out a laugh and before he can attack, I see Bilbo rush to our defense. Not too far behind him is Dwalin, Fili, and Kili attacking the other wargs. As Azog is about to attack Bilbo, I hear Thorin let out a shaky breath. I try to force my body to move towards him; and as I crawl my way to Thorin's side I hear an eagle cry. Just as I try to grab Thorin's hand, I see an eagle fly down and knock Azog and his warg away. Then another eagle comes and gently picks Thorin up off of the ground. After the eagle leaves with Thorin in its talons another eagle picks me up with as well before flying off into the night sky.

"Thank you, my brother." I say to the eagle and it gives a soft cry in acknowledgement. "If it isn't any trouble, can you please place myself and the other, which was picked up before me, on one of your fellow eagle's back? He is injured and needs help." It gives another soft cry before giving a loud screech.

The largest eagle, who is carrying Thorin, flies underneath my eagle. They move closer together till I can touch the larger eagles back. The eagle holding me lets go, and I land softly on the others back.

"Thank you, your grace, for coming to our rescue." I tell this eagle, who I am assuming is the King of the Sky. He gives a click of his beak before he and another eagle start a mid-air dance. Thorin's transfer form one eagle to the other is successful and it isn't long till him and I are on the back of the King of the Sky. I wrap an arm around him as the eagles continue to fly away from the cliff. I look back to see most, if not all, of the company are on the eagles. Knowing that they are safe, I gently grip the feathers of the eagle before laying myself next to Thorin. It is then that my wounded body decides it is time for rest.

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**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It took me multiple times trying to write this chapter. The out of body experience I made Inara go through was tough to write. It will be explained in the next chapter. I am hoping that none of you get offended with Inara praying to the Tolkien gods for help. I enjoyed writing the little bits of Aliena interacting with Thorin, Fili, and Kili. **

**Reviews are always welcome. Even reviews that are negative are welcome as constructive criticism. **

**Selene.**


	9. Carrock, Bathing, and Beorn

**Another chapter for you all. I have finally finished all of my final papers and final projects. So now I may have a little more time to work on this story.**

**Thank you to all of the reviewers and followers. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit or its characters or its events.**

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Voices. That is what brings me back to the land of the living. I can feel the warmth of the sun on my face and the steady sound of wings against the air. It takes six slow blinks before my eyes begin to adjust to the daylight. I am laying on my stomach with my right arm stretched across something. Turning my head to the right, I can see that it is Thorin that my arm is laying on. His breathing is very shallow and his heartbeats are weak, but steady.

"Thorin! Inara!"

I can barely make out who the voice belongs to. I slowly look over my right shoulder, and can see the other eagles carrying the company. I look back at Thorin and pull myself closer to him. The air is chilled and I know that I must try to keep us warm. The eagles fly past mountains tops that are covered in light snow.

"Thorin! Inara!"

I know that the company must be worried sick about us, but I do not dare let go of Thorin or the feathers on the eagles back. The eagles keep flying for a few more hours before the King of the Sky lets out a short screech before slowly dropping down into a valley below. He twists and turns around some of the shorter mountains.

"Thorin." I whisper in his ear. "You have to wake up now, Thorin. You can't leave us yet. Please. Stay with me." I can feel a few tears slide down my face. I lean my head towards his and kiss his cheek.

A click of a beak pulls my attention away from Thorin long enough to see a column of stone and rocks coming closer. The King of the Sky attempts to land on the top of the column, and lifts his body so that Thorin and I slide off of his back. I try to land on my feet, but my legs are too weak. So Thorin and I hit the ground with his body landing on top of mine.

"Thorin! Inara!" I can hear coming from Gandalf as he comes running towards us. He sees that I am awake and quickly helps roll Thorin's body off of mine gently. "My dear girl, are you alright?"

"Help Thorin." I say with a raspy voice. Gandalf is quickly trying to help Thorin as a two pairs of arms gently help me to my feet. It is Fili and Kili who are gently pulling me away from Gandalf. Both boys set me down on a rock and have to help keep me sitting up right.

"Inara? Are you okay?" Kili says in a panicked voice, as he puts a hand on each of my shoulders. "Come on Inara. You have got to say something."

As Kili panics, Fili turns away and shouts for Oin.

"I. Am. In. Shock." I say very slowly, still with a raspy voice.

"It will be okay, Inara. Just stay with us." Fili turns to say to me. By this time, Oin is now walking over to me from where his eagle placed him.

"Easy, lass." Is all he says as he starts checking me over.

A few feet from us I hear Thorin's voice and turn my head towards where it is coming from. I find that he has Bilbo is a "manly hug" but his eyes are locked on me. He releases Bilbo before walking his way towards me.

"Are you alright?" he asks me as he moves to stand in front of me.

"I have been better, but nothing a little TLC can't cure." I tell him with a smile.

"Mommy!"

Both Thorin and I turn our heads to see Aliena holding on to Bofur's hand. There are tear stains running down both of cheeks. Bofur releases her hand and she runs, full speed, at us. Thorin catches her and picks her up into his arms. She gives him a quick hug before turning in his arms so that she faces me. I give a smile before wincing at the cold fingers prodding my back. My tunic is light weight and the corset is also.

Oin steps away from me before declaring that I am still a bit weak from the fight.

A bird flies by us and we all turn to follow where it is going. That is when we see it, the Lonely Mountain, off in the distance. It is at this point that we all agree that we should attempt to climb down while it is still daylight. As we begin the climb down, the eagles with their leader fly by us before they leave. I let the wind carry my whispered thank you to them and the King of the Sky gives one magnificent screech in reply.

"It would seem that you have made a new friend, Inara." Gandalf says to me with a smile on his face.

"So it would seem." I reply as I begin to walk down the shallow steps. The steps go down only a short way till they turn into tall steps of about 6 feet between the edge of one step to top of the one below it..

It is decided that Aliena, Bilbo, and I will have to be helped down from the top of a boulder stair to the stair below. Dwalin stays at the top, while Nori waits at the bottom. Since Thorin is still holding Aliena, he hands to Balin before going down. Balin then hands her to Dwalin. He is laying on the ground near the edge and holds her hands as he hands her down to Nori. Nori can only reach her feet, so Thorin reaches instead. Once he has her, Dwalin lets go and Aliena has now made it down. Bilbo is next and then I am helped down as well.

We keep going till we reach the bottom and by that time it is nearing late evening. It is decided that we will came at the base of the column for tonight. Kili, Dwalin, and Nori go off on a quick hunting trip as Gloin attempts to start a fire. It isn't much that Kili, Dwalin and Nori bring back, but it will do. Five rabbits are all that is roasted for dinner that night. Thorin takes first watch as we all try to huddle together for sleeping. Thorin hands me his fur lined coat as a blanked for Aliena and myself. It isn't long till the sounds of most of the company snoring are heard.

I am laying about five feet from the fire with Aliena cuddled up to me. Both of us are laying on our sides but she has her back up against my chest and stomach. She is already fast asleep, but I can't seem to fall asleep. That is when I hear a few voices coming from where Thorin is standing watch. I can't see them, but I know which voice belongs to who.

"Balin, it is Thorin's choice who he wants to be with." Dwalin's voice says.

"I know, but think about how the other dwarf kingdoms would see this. He chooses a bride from the race of men, who already has a child. They might not be as accepting of it." Balin replies.

"Inara didn't have a choice as to who was going to father her child. She was forced. That has to be accounted for." This time it is Kili's voice.

"She has also proven herself to be a formidable fighter, and she is definitely intelligent enough to think of strategies while under pressure." Fili says.

"What you say is true lads, but it might not be enough for the 13 of us to attest to her abilities. Thorin, you know the other dwarf lords will not be so easily swayed." Balin says with worry.

"It is still my choice, is it not?" Thorin's voice rumbles with a hint of anger. "I choose her and none other. Balin, I understand your concern in the future of this issue. Make no mistake, I will make Inara my queen."

I gasp softly as I hear this. Footsteps coming back towards the fire has me pretending to be asleep. There is a little rustle of movement near my feet before I hear two bodies flop onto the ground.

"Do you think Inara would accept uncle's proposal?" Kili asks, to which Fili groans in frustration at his little brother. "Uncle and Inara already looked like a ruling couple that last night in Rivendell."

"Kili, get some sleep." Fili says before he moves.

It all goes quiet for a while till I hear two more pairs of footsteps coming back towards the fire. Balin and Dwalin have returned it would seem, as I can make out some of their conversation.

"Balin, you must realize that Thorin isn't going to let her go. He has already claimed her."

"When?"

"Back in Rivendell. I saw them on the stairs while they were in the heat of it all. He has never dallied with any maiden or woman before. This is no mere desire or lust, brother."

"Then it is done. There is nothing anyone can do or say that will sway him now. To deny him of Inara could very well be the end of Thorin. Even without the possibility of gold sickness, losing her would be his undoing."

As I am hearing this, part of me is embarrassed at the fact that someone had seen Thorin and I together. However, hearing Balin say that losing me would cause Thorin to go mad worried even more. I keep faking sleep till I actually do manage to doze off. What wakes me after a few hours is something lifting some of Thorin's coat before a warm body is pressing itself up against my back. A hand follows my arm, which is laying over Aliena, before it trails back up. I feel a kiss being placed on the back of my neck before the hand creeps under my arm and places itself along my collarbone. I take a deep breath and relax before falling into a deep slumber.

At daybreak I am roused out of my slumber by the smell of something delicious. I open my eyes for find that Fili and Kili are sitting with their backs towards me about 3 feet away. Aliena seems to be up as well as I can hear her giggles from where Fili and Kili are sitting. I try to get up, but find myself pulled back into a warm body.

"Just where do you think you are going?" I hear Thorin whisper against my neck before giving it a kiss.

Before I respond, my stomach lets out a loud growl, which cause Fili and Kili to look over their shoulders. Thorin chuckles against my neck before releasing me. I get up from the ground and make my way over towards Fili and Kili.

"Mommy! It is breakfast time." Aliena says as she greets me with a smile. In her hands she has a bowl of berries and what looks like warm custard.

"Looks good." I tell her as Gloin hands me a bowl of custard and berries. "Thank you Gloin."

As I start to eat, I notice that Fili and Kili are staring at me. I keep eating my breakfast, though I have to fight myself to keep it from coming back up. Warm custard is gross, but I need the energy from it. I take my time in eating it, and it isn't lost on Dwalin and Balin.

"You okay, Inara? You are looking a little green." Fili says as he leans over towards me.

"I don't like warm custard. I never have and I don't think that will be changing anytime soon." I reply before picking the berries out to eat those instead.

"How can you not like custard?" Fili asks as he watches me eat the berries.

"Let me just put it this way. I once got food poisoning from eating warm custard. I was sent to a hospital where I spent three days on a fluid only meal plan. I nearly died from the food poisoning." I tell him as I pop another berry into my mouth.

"Oh. What is a hospital?"

"It is a place where people go to be treated for injuries, illnesses, or even give birth. Personally, I hate them, because the doctors don't listen to their patients anymore. It is all 'get them in, and get them out' as fast as you can. Then charge the people so much money that the people sometimes go in debt or just don't pay."

"Sounds like a horrible place indeed." Oin says from across the fire. "Patients should be treated well."

"Try explaining that to the money hungry boards that run the hospitals. Or better yet, the hospital corporations that only look out for the profit of their investors. That is another reason why I don't like them."

"Sounds like a bad place to be." Thorin says as he sits next to me. I hand him what is left in my bowl, mainly the custard. He doesn't hesitate to eat it.

After breakfast, it is agreed that we should get moving. We pack up what we have, which isn't much, before we begin to walk. Aliena walks between myself and Thorin in the middle of the group. Gandalf and Dwalin are leading the way, while Nori and Gloin take the rear. We walk most of the day before stopping around early evening. Dwalin, Kili and Thorin go hunting as the rest of us set up came near a shallow river. I take Aliena down to the shore of the river to play in the water. We splash and play about while Fili and Ori keep a watch over us. I decide that there isn't a better time for Aliena to get a bath.

"Fili. If it isn't any trouble, can you bring me my pack?"

"Sure. Will you be alright Ori?" The younger dwarf nods before Fili goes to retrieve my pack. It isn't long before he returns with it and another. "You may want hurry up with your bath. Bombur and Bofur are currently roasting a few pheasants for supper."

Ori and Fili back away into the tree line to give myself and Aliena some privacy. I notice that the other pack is Aliena's. I rummage through her pack till I notice a white bar of soap. I pull it out before going into my pack and pulling out a clear bar of soap. Both soaps are wrapped in linen, but I know which is which since I was the one who packed them.

Aliena enjoys getting clean but the rumble of her stomach has her wanting to go eat. So I make quick work of getting her washed up and into a clean set of clothes. I send her up to the tree line to find Fili and Ori so that she can get something to eat. Fili and Ori both step away from some tree trunks and head off back to camp.

Knowing that I am now alone, I strip out of my clothes and get into the water. I sit down so that the water just comes to my shoulders. Closing my eyes, I lean my head back into the water in an attempt to get it wet. However, a slight sloshing sound behind me causes me to lift my head up and open my eyes. I look over my left shoulder to see Thorin walking towards me. He is only in his trousers, and I quickly turn my head away.

"What are you doing here?" I ask him as he finally reaches me. He sits down behind me before pulling my hair back. "You know, since you are back there, you can help me wash my hair." I hear him hum in response.

He runs his fingers through my hair and sometimes splashes a little water at my scalp. This continues until he finally speaks to me.

"May I place one of my braids in your hair Inara?"

"You may."

I hear a quick intake of breath come from Thorin after my response. I have an idea as to what is behind this asking, and I am ready to take that leap. He moves so that he is facing me before reaching for some hair. He begins the braid just above the back of my right ear. I watch him as he works the hair into a good looking braid. To keep the braid from falling out, he places a small bit of a leather strip and a silver bead at the end. He kisses the braid before leaning in to kiss me.

We don't spend much time in the water after that kiss. Thorin carries me back to the beach before we both submit to the fire that is now running through us. I have to bite into his shoulder to try to keep myself from screaming in the passion, while he growls into the base of my neck. We remain on that beach till the sun finally dips into the horizon. How many times we submitted to the heat, I can't remember. Yet, I can honestly say that our time alone was not in vain.

Once we had calmed from it all, we dressed and returned to camp. That night our supper was ate cold, but it didn't matter to us. It also isn't lost on anyone to see a braid with a silver bead in my hair.

The days pass as we continued walking towards the Lonely Mountain. At night Thorin shares his coat with Aliena and I before joining us after his watch. Anytime that Thorin and I find ourselves alone, we make the most of it. Several more times we allow our passion to take hold of us during our alone time. This goes on for about a week or two before things change.

One early morning, we hear a warg howl and that has all of us on alert. We had reached the edge of the mountain range the night before. Gandalf had sent out Bilbo to go see just how close the enemy was. The rest of us are standing around waiting for Bilbo's return.

Aliena is still tired and is trying to fall asleep in my arms. Thorin looks at me and Aliena before beginning to pace. We are all on edge while waiting for Bilbo. Thorin stops his pacing and heads to where Bilbo had left us. It is then that I see Bilbo come out from the rock pathway. Everyone surrounds Bilbo as he speaks.

"Will you just listen to me!" Bilbo says a little too loudly. "I am trying to tell you that there is something else out there."

"What form did it take?" Gandalf asks as everyone else lets out a few frustrated sighs. "Like a bear?"

"Well, yes. But bigger. Much bigger." Bilbo replies.

"You knew about this beast?" asks Bofur.

I am getting agitated listening to the dwarves argue about what to do next. So I decide to give a little bit of information. "Gandalf you might as well tell them that the bear is Beorn." I say from where I am standing. Aliena is slightly startled by me talking but doesn't wake up.

Gandalf and the company all look at me like I had just grown an extra head.

"There is a house." Gandalf says.

"Whose house? Is he friend or foe?" Thorin asks Gandalf.

"Neither. He will help us or he will kill us." Gandalf replies.

"What choice do we have?" Dwalin asks.

"None." I say as a loud noise cuts through the air.

We all begin to move out, and Kili takes Aliena from me so that I may run without slowing down. We run through the last of the mountain range rocks. It is mid-day as we are now all running across fields, through shallow streams, and woods in an attempt to follow Gandalf to this house he spoke of. By now Aliena has been held by Kili, then Fili, then Thorin, and now is being held by Bifur as we run.

We come to a quick stop when we hear the same animal sound as before getting louder.

"This way, come on." Gandalf yells as we are yet again beginning to run.

Thorin takes my hand as we run. "Remind me to never run again after this." I tell him as I try to catch my breath while running.

"You will never have to run again, once we take back Erebor." Thorin says and he is now pulling me with him as we run.

Finally the house comes into view and with a new sense of urgency, we all run towards it.

There is a loud crashing noise that rattles the ground as we get closer to the house. I can hear the pounding of paws from behind me and I am slightly scared. We finally run pass the entrance into a yard before reaching the door of the house. I am quick to lift the latch that allows the doors to be open. We all get inside before attempting to close the doors. However, the bear tries to force its way into the house. Everyone is trying to push the door shut, but the bear backs away when I look into his eyes. The doors are closed and latched with everyone catching their breath.

"That was Beorn." I say as I take Aliena from Bifur arms. I give her a hug before setting her down onto the ground. We walk away from the rest of the group to go explore the house.

We spend most of the day in the house and there is plenty of food to eat at supper time. After eating we all go to find places to lay down for the night. I allow Aliena to snuggle up with Kili and Fili for the night before going back to the kitchen area to clean up the mess. Once I have finished cleaning up the mess, I make my way back to where the rest of them are sleeping. The only ones awake now are myself and Gandalf.

"You should get some rest Inara." Gandalf says softly from where he is sitting.

"I know, but I can't shake this feeling that something is not right."

"Hmmm. Perhaps it is the fact that you are now safe, and haven't been in a safe place since Rivendell."

"It could be it. I don't know."

I walk past him and make my way through the many sleeping dwarves. I stop to see Aliena sleeping, on her back, in between Fili and Kili. In one hand she is holding onto one of Fili's mustache braids. In her other hand she has a fist full of Kili's hair. It is moments like this that I wish I had a camera.

"Inara." I hear Thorin whisper.

I look around and see that he is laying up against the far wall. I make my way over to him and sit down next to him.

"You know, those three are just adorable when they are asleep." I whisper as I glance towards the boys and Aliena.

Thorin chuckles as he pulls me into his arms. "Perhaps we will be lucky and give Aliena her own brothers someday." He says as he places a kiss in my hair.

"Hopefully not too soon." I say before I yawn. "Those three will become inseparable as she gets older."

"They already see her as their cousin. It will be good for Kili and Fili to learn how to handle not being the center of attention." Thorin says as his right hand begins to caress my hip.

I snuggle deeper into the embrace before closing my eyes.

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**Reviews are welcome. Next chapter, we will see the company interact with Beorn the man and some dwarf shenanigans.**

**Selene**


	10. Vertigo, Horses, and Mirkwood Path

**Thank you to the reviewers and followers. Today was a very rough day for me, but here is the next chapter for you.**

**Disclaimer: l don't own the Hobbit or its events or its characters.**

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"Inara. It is time to wake up."

I let out a grown and pull the blanket up over my face. "No it isn't." I mumble before trying to go back to sleep.

"Leave her be, Kili. She is still injured and should continue to rest."

Upon hearing Thorin's voice, I realize that he is no longer next to me. Kili lets out a soft chuckle before walking away from me.

"Is mommy awake yet?" Aliena's voice is soft as she speaks.

"Not yet. She is still very tired from yesterday." Thorin replies to her question.

"Okay." I hear her say before sleep claims me again.

The next time I wake up I can hear talking coming from the kitchen area of the house. I push Thorin's coat, which I thought was a blanket, off of me. Upon standing up, I am overcome by a sense of vertigo and use the wall to catch myself. I close my eyes and count to ten before opening them. Doing that seemed to help ease the vertigo, so I begin to make my way towards the kitchen. As I round the corner, I get another feeling of vertigo, but there is no wall for me to use to catch myself. I stumble to the ground, landing on my hands and knees before dropping to my side.

There is a lot of commotion and the sound of many footsteps coming towards me. Someone helps lift my head and upper body off of the floor.

"Easy lad. You have got to be gentle with her." Oin says to whoever is holding me up.

I open my eyes to see it is Dwalin who is holding me, while Oin starts to check me over.

"What happened?" I ask in a stupid way. I know what happened, but I don't want to admit to fainting.

"You fainted as you came 'round the corner. That isn't the way to go if you are seeking attention." Bofur says with a chuckle.

Oin finishes his task and shakes his head. "There doesn't appear to be any infection. Her injuries are healing nicely. Do you have a headache?"

I shake my head no in a silent reply.

"Perhaps she needs food." Comes a loud, deep voice.

I look up and see a rather tall man standing a few feet from where I am.

"Dwalin, help her up to the table." Oin says before walking away from me.

"Aye." Dwalin helps me to my feet, and escorts me to the table. Thorin, who was standing off to the side, comes over and helps me up onto the bench. I am placed at the end with Fili sitting next to me. Aliena is on Fili's other side and she is making funny faces at Bifur and Kili.

A plate is set before me with some sweet bread and berries by the tall man. "This will help replenish your energy. I am Beorn and you are very welcome here." Beorn then turns and looks at Thorin. "You did not say you had a mate, Oakenshield. You should take better care of her. Tell me, why is Azog the Defiler hunting you?"

If Thorin is insulted by Beorn's comment concerning me, he doesn't show it. However, his interest is in Azog. "You know of Azog. How?" Thorin says with interest.

Beorn tells his tale to us, but as I take few bites of the sweet bread the world starts to spin again. So I set my piece of bread down and close my eyes. I take a few deep breaths to see if that will help with the vertigo. I open my eyes when I feel a hand being placed on my shoulder. I turn my head and see Fili giving me a worried look.

"You alright?" he whispers, since Beorn is still talking.

"I think so. It must be the after effects from all the running yesterday. Like I said to Thorin yesterday, I hate running." I whisper to Fili. The vertigo seems to have disappeared and I return to eating my bread. Fili watches me still as I finish eating my meal. The sweet bread and fruit seemed to fill my stomach to where it is just comfortably full. I take a swig from Fili's mug to taste warm milk hit my tongue. I try hard not to spit it out in disgust. Another thing from my list of dislikes in food or beverage. Warm custard and warm milk. Ick.

As Beorn addresses Gandalf, I reach for what appears to be a honey comb in a bowl. However, Beorn takes the bowl away before I can grab a piece. He turns to look at me. "Not for you, miss. It would not be wise." Beorn moves the bowl to the other side of the table, and I give him a glare. He sits down in his chair before he continues with his discussion with Gandalf.

"Why does he refuse to allow you some honey?" Fili asks me before he takes a drink from his mug.

"I don't know, Fili. Why don't you ask him for me." I say with a hint of irritation.

"I would, but it wouldn't be wise to interrupt him and Gandalf."

Letting out sigh, I lift one of my legs up and over the bench I am sitting; then move the other leg as well. I slide off of the bench, it was only a few inches between my feet and the floor, with ease. Once I start to walk however, is another story. One minute I am walking, the next I find myself waking up in Thorin's arms. Everyone is standing around me as well.

"What happened?" I ask as I try to only focus on Thorin's face.

"It would seem you fainted again, miss." Beorn says with a smirk on his face. "You all are welcome to stay till she is better from what plagues her."

It is agreed that we shall stay a few days till I am well again. Since most of us are feeling closed in, Beorn allows us to go outside for a while. The sun feels nice against my face as I sit, leaning up against one of the trees. I watch as Aliena is playing tag with Kili, Fili, Thorin, Dwalin, Bofur, Bifur, Bilbo, and Ori. It took her a bit to teach them how the concept works, but now that they understand it the game goes on and on. Balin watches as well from his spot near Dori, Nori, Gloin, and Oin, in the shade of another tree. Bombur is sitting under a tree by himself, nibbling on what appears to be some of the bread from this morning.

"Get him Aliena! Don't let him get away!" I shout to Aliena as she is trying to tag Dwalin. I let a smile show on my face at Dwalin's antics for trying to get away from Aliena. I let out a laugh as Thorin sneaks up on Aliena and pokes her in her back. Now she is after him.

"It is good to see you smile." I hear Beorn say as he moves to sit next to me.

"I have a name." I tell him as I keep watching Aliena.

"Inara is your name. I was surprised earlier when I saw your young one come out of my house with Oakenshield. She is not his child, is she?"

I let out a sigh before I answer him. "No she is not. There are days, though, that I wish she was his."

"He will make a good father. As long as he has you to balance him." Gandalf's voice comes from the other side of where I am sitting. Gandalf soon joins Beorn and myself on the ground. He lets out a chuckle as Kili is now the one having to tag someone.

"Gandalf told me that you are friends with the king of the eagles." Beorn says as he looks at me.

I turn my head to reply, and when our eyes meet he lets out a gasp.

"You see it too. Don't you Beorn." Gandalf says.

"Yes. She has been touched the Valar. I did not believe you, when you told me about her confrontation with Azog. I couldn't believe that one as her could possess the strength to fight him as you described." Beorn breaks our eye contact to look at Gandalf.

My brain trying to work out what I just heard. "Woah. Wait a minute. What do you mean? Gandalf? What do mean touched by the Valar?" I turn to look at Gandalf for an explanation.

"It means that in some way, the Valar took control of your body when you fought Azog." Gandalf says quietly to me. "Did you do or say anything after you helped Aliena sit on the trunk of the tree. Think carefully and tell me everything."

"All I did was ask Mahal to grant me the power to aid Thorin in his fight. Then I asked any other god or goddess to give me courage and strength. Then it was like an energy entered me and I was soon watching my body move. It was like I was outside of it. Please, tell me Gandalf. What is going on?"

"It would seem, Inara, that your prayers were answered that night. Very rarely do the Valar grant something like that. The last time it was done was back in the First Age. However, there were consequences." Gandalf starts to fiddle with his pipe and I know that this discussion is now over.

"It could explain her fainting." Beorn says before leaning forward, and taking a deep breath of air from close to my head. "Maybe." Is all he says as he gets up and walks away.

A shriek of laughter pulls my attention away from watching Beorn head back to his house. I can see that Aliena is now sitting on Bofur's foot; with her arms and legs wrapped around his leg. Everyone is laughing as Bofur is trying to pry Aliena off of his leg, but she is refusing to budge.

Both Gandalf and I chuckle at the sight in front of us. Aliena continues to hold on to Bofur's leg, while Kili and Fili try to remove her from it. I see that Thorin is looking at me from where he is standing. I give him a smile and he makes his way towards me.

"Are you feeling better, Inara?" Thorin asks as he sits down where Beorn sat only a few moments ago.

"I am well. The sunshine feels nice, and it is good to see that everyone is enjoying themselves." I take one of his hands into my own and give it a squeeze.

We stay outside for the rest of the day till Beorn calls us in for supper. It is a simple affair consisting of mostly nuts, bread, vegetables, and some tea. It is enough to keep us from feeling any hunger pains. The dwarves start telling tales as we are getting ready to sleep. Dori had just finished his story when I am called upon to tell a tale.

"Well, what kind of a story would you like?" I ask from where I sit. Aliena is in my lap and we are sitting on our blankets.

"Mommy, can you tell the story about Brother Bear?" Aliena asks before anyone else can chime in a request. Beorn looks at me with curiosity from what she just said.

So I tell the tale of Brother Bear. I can thank my friend Andrew for introducing Disney movies to my daughter. When my story is done, Beorn has a smile on his face and the dwarves are all looking at me in fascination. I look down to see that Aliena has fallen asleep in my lap, so I gently place her on my sleeping blanket, and use her sleeping blanket to cover her.

"How about I tell you all about Maximus and how he became a gladiator who defeated an evil emperor." I say with enthusiasm. Everyone cheers before I shush them quiet. Thank god I memorized The Gladiator movie back in high school, or I would have screwed up the story. The dwarves are in total awe by the time I am done telling it, and by how the moon is says that it is very late.

"Now that is a tale to be written down." Dwalin says as he looks over at Ori.

"I agree." Ori replies before looking over at me. "Would you be willing to tell it again? I mean once I have more ink and another journal."

"Of course. If you wish, I will let you record any stories that I tell. It would help rebuild the library in Erebor." I say with happiness in my voice.

We all bid each other a goodnight before laying down to sleep. I lay next to Aliena, while Thorin takes his usual spot on my other side. During the night, we manage to end up sleeping with him up against my back, Aliena's back up against my stomach, and me on my side in the middle.

The next day goes the same way as the day before did except I don't have the vertigo any more. In the evening, Beorn lets us know that he will be going out on a patrol of the area. Stories are told again at bedtime before we all go to sleep. When we wake the next morning, Beorn tells us that today would be the best day to leave.

We pack what Beorn offers us onto the horses in preparation to leave. I am sad to be leaving, but Thorin is starting to get twitchy with wanting to leave. I am to ride with him on his horse, as Aliena will ride with Kili.

Thorin helps me up onto the horse before pulling himself up to sit behind me. Kili is already on his horse and Fili is holding Aliena to help her get onto Kili's horse.

From my spot on the horse I can see Gandalf talking with Beorn. I still remember the conversation we shared concerning the Valar. It worries me to know that something, like a possession, happened to me. Gandalf is hurrying to get to his horse, and once he get on it we ride off.

We ride hard along grassy hills, through brush and light forests till we reach our destination. Mirkwood. The horses halt before the entrance into the forest. We carefully dismount and start to unload the horses.

"Here lies our path through Mirkwood." Gandalf says from he is standing.

"No sign of the orcs. We have luck on our side." Dwalin says as he dismounts from his horse.

"Let the horses loose. Let them return to their master." Gandalf tells us before he enters the forest.

"This forest is sick." I say while walking towards where Gandalf is.

"Like a disease lies on it." Bilbo states from next to me. "Is there no other way around?"

I feel Aliena grab my hand and I look down at her.

"Mommy. I am scared."

"It will be alright, Aliena. We will be safe and we will make it through okay." I tell her with a smile on my face. But when I look away from her I can't feel like something terribly wrong is going to happen.

Gandalf comes back out of the forest and seems to be in a hurry. That is when he tells us that he has to leave. Oh dear god, not again. Last time we didn't have him with us we were caught by goblins. What could possibly get us here in the forest?

As Gandalf rides off, Thorin takes my hand and we all head into the forest. My whole intuition is now screaming at me to get Aliena and I out of there, but there is nothing I can do. We have to stick together and make it through the forest.

We walk for what seems like days, but it is only been a few hours. It starts to become dark, so Thorin calls for us to rest on the path. Gloin starts a small fire on one of the stone path marker. Dwalin takes first watch as the rest of us nibble on some of the rations Beorn gave us. Aliena and I huddle together under a blanket as we lean up against one the many tree trunks that sit next to the path. Thorin does not join us that night during sleep.

The next morning we begin to walk again on the pathway. Fili is walking in front of Aliena and myself with Kili behind us. We are in the middle of the group and Thorin is up front with Balin and Dwalin. I still feel very uneasy as we walk and my I am starting to not feel so great. With the motion of the walking my stomach decides it is going to rebel, and I am forced to let go of Aliena's hand before stepping off to the side to puke. I hate puke. The smell, the taste, the look of it is just too gross. Bent over, I see some of my breakfast looking up at me, and my stomach rebels again.

"Mommy!" Aliena yells from where she is.

"Stop! Stop!" I hear Kili yell from next to where I am at. His hand is soon on my back and I can see the edge of his boots through my watery vision. "Inara, are you alright?"

"Aliena?" I whisper softly before slamming my mouth shut to keep bile from rising up from my stomach.

"She is okay. Fili is holding her hand. Oin! You better come quick!" Kili shouts as my legs give out and he catches me.

There is a rustle of movement as Kili helps me kneel on the ground a few feet from where I left half of my stomach contents. Oin and Balin appear and quickly take stock as to what is going on. Balin heads back to where he came from, but Oin begins to check my forehead for a fever.

"She doesn't have a fever." Oin says as he continues checking me over.

"It's the forest." I say softly and instantly regret it as I turn away to hurl once more.

"Inara?" comes Thorin's voice from behind me. "Oin. What is wrong with her?"

"I don't know, Thorin. It could very well be the forest. Gandalf said that air is heavy. She probably needs a breath of fresh air." Oin tells Thorin before moving back towards the company.

"Can you walk?" Thorin asks me, but I dare not reply.

"Uncle!" Kili replies to hearing what Thorin is asking of me.

"Kili. Do you think you can carry her?"

"I can if I must, but she needs rest." Kili states to Thorin. I hear Kili give a little growl as Thorin's footsteps head back towards the company.

Kili helps me stand up and moves so that he is now standing in front of me. He wraps my arms around his neck. "Best if you can hold on to me yourself. And please warn me before you throw up."

I give a little groan in acknowledgement of his request. I tighten my hold around Kili's neck before he leans forwards. I wrap my legs around his body and he tucks his hands underneath my knees. He carries me for a good portion of the day till we stop again for the night. I attempt to nibble lightly on some bread before falling asleep.

It feels like the days are passing and we aren't really going anywhere. Time is shifting to the point where I can't even figure out what time it is or how many days we have been in the forest.

Finally we come to the remains of a stone bridge. There is no way to cross it and swimming is not an option. Bilbo volunteers to go across using the vines and branches. We all watch as Bilbo makes his way through and reaches the other side. Then we all begin to cross trying to follow the same route Bilbo used. Aliena is being carried by Fili, and I am attempting to cross on my own.

All of us make it to the other side. Well, most of us. Bombur landed in the water, and is now sleeping. The dwarves make a temporary gurney to carry Bombur before we all start walking again. A few days later, my worst fear is realized. We lost the trail.

I am not really paying attention anymore to what is going on around us, and Aliena is snuggled up to my side as the dwarves search in vain for the path. This goes on till all of a sudden the world goes black.

Something sticky is on my face, when I finally wake. I quickly realize that I can't move my arms or legs and I am dangling upside down. Panic starts to rise up as I notice that Aliena isn't with me. I try to look around but all I see is white thread. Oh shit! Spiders. It just had to be spiders.

It isn't long till I hear a commotion coming from below where I am hanging. I can barely see the spiders moving at a rapid pace towards something. Moving my hands I realize that I can reach one of my tomahawks that is hidden by the jacket that Beorn gave me. I pull it free and start to whack at the silk threads that surround me. I manage to create an opening and I begin to pull myself through it. As I right myself up, I look around and can see the others all hanging as well.

I look down to see that Bilbo is cutting down the dwarves who are at his level, but there are a few others that are higher up where I am at. I put my tomahawk back before pulling my legs out of the sack. I start to use my body to swing myself towards one of the dwarves that is near me. Getting the momentum I need, I jump to the dwarf hanging next to where I was. I grab hold of the silk threads near the top, and wrap my legs around the dwarf's body.

I hear some muffling of words coming from the sack, as I pull out a tomahawk to start cutting him free. The dwarf inside helps me open the sack and it looks like I just found Nori.

"Hello handsome." I say as I help him get him loose. "You're going to have to fall to the ground below."

Nori nods his head before allowing his body to slide out of the sack and he falls below. I repeat the same thing as I did before to jump to the next sack.

"Hey beautiful. Welcome back to the land of the living." I say to the dwarf in the sack I landed on. I start to cut him out of his sack and soon I am looking down at Bofur.

"I didn't realize you had a thing for me lass." Bofur says just before I use my legs to push him out of the sack to fall below.

Again, I swing myself and jump to the next sack. I wrap my legs around the sack before I feel whoever is inside, wiggle themselves against my inner thighs.

"Down boy." I say to the sack cutting a small opening for the dwarf to use to pull the threads apart. A clicking noise comes from above me and I look up to see a spider heading right for us. "Hold on tight. We're going for a ride." I tell the dwarf before I cut the strands of silk that is holding the sack up.

As we fall, I feel two arms grab my legs. Once we land, however, is when I finally get to see who it was in the sack. It was Fili who was in the sack.

"That ride wasn't any fun." Fili says with a smirk on his face.

Feeling like my old self again, I follow along with his playful banter. "Sorry to disappoint. But if you were looking for a fun ride, I suggest looking for a different woman."

We both chuckle before we give each other a hug.

"It is good to see you back to your normal self again, Inara." Fili says as we back away from each other.

"Have you seen Aliena, Fili?"

"She was with Bifur when the spiders came." He replies.

"Over here." Thorin calls out as he comes running towards Fili and I. Thorin embraces me and hold me tight. "I thought I lost you." He whispers to me.

"Nah. You can't get rid of me. Where is Aliena?" I ask him as I push against him lightly.

"See, there is your mother."

I look over Thorin's shoulder to see Aliena in Dwalin's arms. Thorin lets go of me and I walk quickly to where Dwalin and Aliena are. She practically jumps from Dwalin's arms into my arms. I hug her close to me and give her a few kisses on her cheeks and in her hair.

Our little reunion is interrupted when we all hear clicking noises coming towards us.

"Run." Thorin says to me as he and Fili draw out their weapons.

"Come on lass." Dwalin grabs my arm and starts to pull me towards where the rest of the company is. Fili and Thorin are close behind us as we make our way to the company. Aliena and I are put in the middle, while the dwarves surround us pulling out what weapons they have left. The only one missing still is Kili.

The spiders come and begin to attack us. The dwarves fight back and a few of them are being draw out from the circle. I put Aliena on the ground before telling her to stay close to me. I pull out both of my tomahawks and look around for any spider that would dare come close.

I hear shouts for help and can see Bofur in trouble; so I throw one of the tomahawks at the spider before it can get him.

"Move." Thorin yells as more spiders are coming towards us. I grab Aliena's hand and we run. We all move quickly through the forest till a spider comes out of nowhere. Thorin tries to place himself between the spider and myself. However, I step out to the side and throw the last tomahawk at the spider. As it falls dead, something falls from the trees and lands on it.

A few more spiders fall dead this thing finally moves closer to us. A blonde elf draws his bow at us, as well as other elves.

"Do not think I won't kill you dwarf." The blonde says to Thorin.

"Put that thing away before you get yourself killed." I say as I move to stand in front of Thorin. I look this elf straight in the eyes. "You heard me, Legolas."

The other elves look at Legolas in shock to see that I know his name. He, however, doesn't flinch and keeps staring at me with his arrow drawn.

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**There it is folks. Another cliff hanger.**

**Selene**


	11. Cell Shenanigans and Motion Sickness

**Sorry about the wait. One of my family members was recently told that they have brain cancer. So there might be more of a wait in between updates. Thank you to all who give reviews or are following this story. To give you all a heads up, I will be having the company stay in Mirkwood for about two months. I hope you all don't mind.**

**Warning: The rating on this chapter is a high T, but not quite M. You will see why.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit, or its events, or its characters.**

* * *

Legolas tightens his hold on the drawn arrow, but I refuse to back down. There is a small shuffle from behind me.

"Leave my mommy alone." Aliena says as she begins to move towards me. Thorin, however, quickly moves to take her hand and places her behind him. The elves let out a gasp as the rest of the company moves to block Aliena from the elves view. It is apparent that my daughter's appearance has surprised the elves.

Legolas quickly lowers his arrow and says something in a different language. That is when we hear Kili cry out. Both Fili and Aliena call out to Kili, but Kili doesn't respond to them. It is while the elves search us for weapons that a red haired, female elf brings Kili to where we are being held. Aliena wiggles her way out from the mass of dwarves and runs to Kili. He bends down to pick her up as she reaches him. He holds her close to his body, and hunches his shoulders inwards in a protective manner. As Kili reaches the group, he hands Aliena over to me. I move to take her from his arms, but Thorin steps forward. So Kili sets Aliena on the ground just behind Thorin, but right next to me.

Once all of our weapons are removed, the elves tie the dwarves together. Aliena and I are not tied up, but there are four elves that surround us. Thorin and the others are displeased with how the elves have us situated. Aliena and I in front with the dwarves walking behind us. We walk for a few hours till we come upon an elaborate gate door, which has some very interesting markings on it.

After we pass through the gate, I begin to get a sinking feeling that something is wrong, and I am about to find out that I am right. Two of the elves move quickly, and pull Aliena away from me.

"No! Bring her back!" I scream as the other two elves hold me. One has his arms wrapped around my waist, while the other is holding my right arm. The company and Thorin are also shouting out for the elves to bring Aliena back. I keep kicking out and screaming for my daughter to be returned to me.

"Mommy! Papa!" I can hear Aliena cry out, but I can't see where the elves are taking her.

"Bring her back you bastards!" I let out a punch with my left arm, and it hits the elf that is holding my right arm. The elf behind me yells something, and continues dragging me away from my daughter and now the dwarves.

I have no idea where I am being taken, but it isn't long when I find myself tossed to the floor. I land on my hands and knees before some sort of throne. There is a quick sound of movement before Thorin is kneeling next to me.

"Are you alright Inara?" he whispers to me. He places a hand on my shoulder and turns my body towards his. We stand up together, and I bury my face into this shoulder.

"They took her."

"I know. We will get her back." Thorin says softly as he places a hand onto the back of my neck.

"Well what have we here?" a voice says from in front of us.

We both turn away from each other to see an elf, who looks a lot like Legolas, sitting on a throne. He gives a smug smile from his spot above us.

"Thranduil." Thorin growls out as he moves to stand in front of me. "Where have you taken our daughter?"

"Your daughter? Last I heard Thorin Oakenshield was not married, nor did he have a child with anyone." Thranduil says as he walks down from his throne. "I find it interesting that you have a woman and child, from the race of men, on your quest. Are you holding them against their will?"

"How dare you!" Thorin shouts as he takes a few steps towards Thranduil.

"We are not being held against our will." I say to Thranduil. "The only one that can be accused of that is you!"

"I hold no one here against their will." Thranduil replies in a nonchalant way.

"That is a loud of bull shit." I yell at him before walking around Thorin to reach Thranduil. However, Thorin uses an arm to hold me back. "You take my daughter away from us. Throw the dwarves in prison for trespassing. And for what? Because you think you are so powerful. Ha. You are nothing."

I can see Thranduil is trying hard not to show anger towards me, but I know that I might have pushed the right buttons. In a flash he is standing face-to-face with me, and I can feel Thorin's grip on my arm tighten. In show of defiance, I lock eyes with Thranduil in hopes to show that I have no fear of him. What he says next, surprises Thorin and I.

"I see you have been touch the Valar, woman." He keeps the eye contact, but shifts his head just slightly to the right. "You have so much potential, yet you waste it by staying with the dwarves as a blanket companion." Thorin lets out a very low growl at this, but Thranduil's expression doesn't change. "I expect that the air of the forest made you sick. Its energy has extreme effects on the race of men. Especially when one has been suffering from the after effects of being touched by the Valar. You should be more careful in the future. Perhaps you should think about staying here with me. I would offer you my services to help keep you from harm."

Thranduil caresses my face with a light touch of his hand. His hand reaches back to pull forward the braid that Thorin placed in my hair. He drops the braid, and proceeds to run his fingers through my loose hair.

"How dare you." Thorin growls out in a deadly tone at Thranduil, and pushes himself fully in between Thranduil and I.

Thranduil backs away and a smirk appears on his face. He says something in his language; then all hell breaks loose. Several guards move in a flash, and I find myself being taken away. As I am dragged away, I can hear Thorin yelling in a mix of English and the dwarven language. He too, is being held by guards; but unlike me, they are keeping him with Thranduil.

I am dragged along the paths till the elven guards bring me to their version of a prison. While passing a few cells, I can hear the members of the company shouting at the elves to let me go. I am finally brought to a cell and very roughly shoved inside. The guards close the door, locking it, before leaving.

"Inara!" Bofur shouts.

"Lass, you alright?" Gloin yells.

"I am alright." I call out to them, as I walk up to the bars that make up the door of my cell.

"Where is Thorin?" Asks Dwalin.

"Still with that pompous son-of-a-bitch that the elves call king." I reply. Some of the dwarves let out a chuckle. "Have any of you seen Aliena?"

"No lass, we haven't." Balin says with a sad voice.

I take a deep breath before moving towards the back of my cell. A few tears run down my face, but I refuse to weep. There is a small bed like bench in the cell, so I allow myself to sit down. I push myself into the farthest corner, and tuck my knees under my chin. How long I sat there, I don't know. But it isn't long before the door to my cell is opened up, and Thorin is soon shoved in.

"Did he offer you a deal?" Balin asks Thorin, after the guards leave.

"He did." Thorin replies in an angry tone. Thorin continues speaking as he paces in our cell.

I ignore the conversation between Thorin and Balin, till I hear all the other dwarves growl out words in their language. I don't know what was said, but by the tone in their voices it doesn't sound good. Thoughts of Aliena are running through my mind, and I am trying to hard not to break down. I worry about her, and think about how to get her back. I push my face into my knees, and take deep, slow breaths.

"Inara?" Thorin whispers softly.

I look up to see that he is now sitting in front of me. He reaches out and touches my face in a soft caress. This thumb gently rubs at the dry streaks, left by my tears. He leans forwards so that our foreheads are touching.

"I am sorry that I could not protect you both." He says softly.

"There was nothing anyone could have done, Thorin." I reply. "No one could have known about the spiders attacking. Or even being captured by the elves."

"It is not about that. Aliena being separated from you. Thranduil calling you a blanket companion, and him touching you." Thorin's right hand comes up to touch the braid in my hair.

"I have been through much worse. Have also been called worse, Thorin." I shift my legs to make some room, so that each leg is on either side of Thorin.

"Still it was not right of him to touch the braid. It was an insult towards my family line. Only family or a spouse are allowed to touch the braid." Thorin moves his body closer towards mine, now that my legs are no longer separating us.

I close my eyes, and take a deep breath. "I am worried about Aliena."

"She is strong. Just like her mother." Thorin replies before slightly backing away from me. We both move so that we are laying on the small bench like bed. Wrapped in each others arms, we fall asleep.

For six days we have been locked away. The only things that keep us sane is food and being able to talk to each other. Still there is no word about Aliena and it is driving me to a breaking point. Everyone is trying their best to keep my spirits up. Just this morning Dwalin tried to tell a dirty joke, but I just shrugged at it. By nightfall, I have made up my mind. After the elves leave from giving us our evening meal, I decide to try my plan.

"Thorin."

"Hmmm." Thorin asks from near the cell door.

"I have an idea. Or should I say plan." I say as I walk over towards him.

"What is this plan you have?" He asks looking at me with interest.

I lean towards him and whisper my plan into his ear. As I take a step back, I can see that Thorin's face is bright red and his eyes are big.

"Well. Do you think it would work?" I ask him.

He gives me a serious look before responding. "It might not work. Yet again, it just might."

"What won't work?" comes Balin's voice.

"Inara has a plan." Thorin says softly, turning away from me.

I press up against the bars to the cell door. "Balin. How well do elves hear?" I ask him.

"Very well, why?" Balin replies.

I whisper some of my plan to Balin, and he is soon willing to try my plan. Thorin, however, isn't so keen on the idea.

"You don't have to like it Thorin. All we need to do is draw the guard with the keys down here. Doing it this way, may spike his or her curiosity. That and it will annoy Thranduil till he actually sends someone." Balin says to Thorin.

Both males speak quickly before Balin spreads the plan to the others in the dwarven language. Thorin begins pacing our cell, and I watch him with an amused look on my face. I know that my plan maybe isn't the best, and it will surely test Thorin's patience. However, I want to get out of here so that I can find Aliena, and this is possibly the best idea anyone can come up with.

Thorin finally stops his pacing, and lets out a sign. He turns to face me, and I move away from the door. I come to stand right in front of him. He looks up to me before speaking to me.

"Why did you not tell Balin the whole plan?"

"What difference would it make? As long as we can pull it off, no one would care how we get the guards attention." I say to him as I take his hand.

"Something like what you are planning to do is considered a disrespect in our culture. What you are asking me to do, is not done in public."

"Thorin." I move my left hand so that it is now brushing against the braid that sits behind his right ear. "I am willing to take one for the team. You saw how Thranduil looked at me. Males like him see a powerful female and can't resist not having her for themselves."

Thorin grabs my left hand, and turns his head to place a kiss in the palm. "I don't want you hurt, yâsith." He whispers to me.

"I won't be. Besides you are the only one allowed that right, Zahgidiwin." I say to him before giving him a chaste kiss.

"What was that you just said?" Thorin asks with a quizzical look on his face.

"Zahgidiwin? It means love in Ojibwe." As a say this, I can feel my face turning red. "I remember the few times that my grandmother would use that word to my grandfather. I guess that it just slipped from my tongue." I give him a small smile and he returns it.

"I like that word. Will you teach me to pronounce it?" he asks before giving me a searing kiss. I let out a soft moan in response before the kiss is broken.

We wait a few more hours, then we begin to proceed with the plan. The other dwarves were leaning against their cell doors; their backs towards the paths that ran in front. Thorin, sometime ago did a few hand gestures to them, and the soft echoes of fabric being torn could be heard. He had stated, that if the plan starts to affect them then he would prefer that they have the option of plugging their ears. So now we are ready to bring the plan into action.

"You ready?" I ask Thorin as I undo half of the buttons on my blouse. Underneath my blouse I have a short version of a corset that only covers the bust and part of the upper stomach.

"I wish you would reconsider this." He says as he takes off his coat.

"Now what fun would that be?" I ask with a cheeky grin on my face. I ruffle my hair a bit before pulling my blouse out from being tucked into my pants.

"Woman, you are starting to drive me mad." Thorin says as he pulls his shirt out from being tucked into his pants.

"No. I am keeping you from going mad. There is a difference." I move so that my back is up against a wall, and about halfway back from the cell door.

Thorin makes his way over towards me, so that his body is shielding mine from possible onlookers. "You ready?" He asks as he pulls both of my legs up so that they can wrap around his waist. We are now at the same height level.

"Are you ready to make the elves turn red faced?" I ask him with a very large smile on my face. I wrap my left arm around the top of back, just slightly below the base of his neck. My left elbow is resting on the top of his shoulder. My right hand grips his bicep and holds on tight.

"What happens if I find myself wanting you?" He whispers as he rests his forehead against mine.

"Don't hold back then." I tell him. "Besides we need to get their attention, and this may just be the way to get it. Is everyone ready to keep an eye out for the guard with the keys?"

Thorin nods to my reply before pressing me hard up against the wall. His right hand is up against the wall, just off to the left of my head. The left hand is gripping my waist with comfortable pressure. He says something in his language and I hear Balin reply using the same language. Thorin looks me in the eyes before slamming his right hand hard against the wall.

"Oh god!" I scream out with as much passion in my voice as I can. I was never one of those women who spoke while having sex; but since this is more along the lines of acting, I give it all I got. I let out a few heavy panting moans just to be sure.

"Thorin! Just what are you doing?" Dwalin shouts out.

"Harder. Please." I say as I try to keep a straight face. We didn't exactly tell the company how we would get the guards attention, but oh well. Thorin hits the wall again with his hand. Neither of us are moving, since we are using my voice, and his hand hitting the wall as the only sounds.

"Leave them to it lads." I hear Balin yell to the company.

"How can we leave them to it when they are so loud!" Bofur says with laughter in his voice.

Thorin chuckles before hitting the wall in a quick succession with his hand. I give him a saucy grin before continuing with my shouts and loud moans. We continue with this charade for a couple more minutes. I glance towards our cell door to see if our ruse has worked. Thorin and I stop making our noises to try and hear if anyone is coming. Nothing is seen or heard of the elves, but members of the company are getting a bit agitated. Thorin and I are still in position when Balin's voice is heard.

"Thorin? Inara?" Balin asks in a soft voice. "I hate to interrupt."

"You aren't interrupting anything, Balin." Thorin says in reply.

"Then I should suggest that you stop whatever you are doing." Balin says.

"Have the company plug their ears, Balin." I say softly. Thorin looks at me in shock, and I give him a wink. "We are going to up the ante on this charade. Just make sure everyone is on the lookout for that guard with the keys."

"Very well." I hear Balin respond, before he calls out in the dwarf language.

"I don't know how much more I can take." Thorin whispers into my ear before I feel the effects of our earlier antics pressed against me.

"Then don't hold back." I tell him.

We up the antics of the charade, and I try my hardest to make the cries coming from me sound genuine. Thorin definitely doesn't hold back either, and we do end up having a little fun up against the wall. At least now that we are actually going through the motions, I can make my sounds with real feeling.

After about an hour of going through the charade, and some fun, it is clear that no guard is coming. So we end up calling it a night. Thorin and I cuddle up together on the small bench bed.

Moring comes and brings with it some very interesting news. Kili, after everyone had gone to sleep, spoke with the red haired female elf. The female elf told him that Aliena was being well looked after. She was curious about Kili's relation to Aliena, and also of all the noise that could be heard during their feast. It would seem that Kili has taken a shine to the elf, especially since he knows her name.

So it goes on for about a month and a half. Kili and Tauriel talking while everyone is asleep. While Thorin and I both worry about Aliena, and use the night time to give each other comfort. Yet all of this was about to change.

Thorin and I are laying together using his coat as a bit of a blanket. We can hear the other dwarves waking up, so it must be morning.

"I'll wager the sun is on the rise. It must be nearly dawn." Bofur's voice echoes out from his cell.

"We're never going to reach the mountain. Are we?" Ori says with a sadness in his voice.

Thorin and I pull each other closer. It saddens my heart to hear them sound so defeated. I rest my head on Thorin's chest and he places a kiss to the top of my head. "We will make it. Bilbo is still out there." He whispers into my hair.

"We can't give up hope that he has managed to sneak himself into this place." I reply before placing a kiss over Thorin's heart. Something has been bothering me for the past three weeks, yet I can't place my finger on it.

"Bilbo!" I hear Balin say rather loudly.

Both Thorin and I sit up before looking at the cell door. There stands Bilbo with the keys in his hands.

"Bilbo." I say as I quickly get up.

"Shhh. There are guards nearby." Bilbo softly calls out as he starts to unlock our cell door.

Thorin and I both leave the cell, and Balin is quick to give Thorin a pat on the shoulders. Bilbo moves quickly to unlock the doors to the other cells. I am following after Bilbo to try and ask him if he knows where Aliena is. He tells me she is heavily guarded further inside of this place, and that trying to rescue her would only cause us to be put back into the cells.

I try to mask my disappointment, but Kili and Fili are quick to notice. Both of them give me a hug before following after Bilbo.

"Don't worry. I am sure when we have the mountain, that Thranduil will try to trade her for the gems he is wanting." Thorin says as he takes my hand to lead me where ever Bilbo is taking us.

Bilbo leads us to the cellars and implores us to climb into the empty barrels. Everyone is complaining about doing it; so Bilbo looks at Thorin and I to help back him up.

"Do as he says." Thorin says softly in a commanding voice.

Everyone looks at Thorin with shocked faces.

"You heard him. Into the barrels you go." I say as I pull Thorin towards the barrels.

That gets the others going, and they start getting into the barrels. Dwalin is helping the dwarves get into the barrels, before getting himself in one.

"You will share with me." Thorin says as he gestures for me to climb into the barrel first.

"Of course, but you will have to climb in first. Unless you want to be on top." I say with a smirk on my face.

"Oh will you two just get in already." Dwalin says to us.

We both turn to see that all of the other dwarves are watching us. Most have grumpy looks on their faces; but Fili, Kili, and Bofur are grinning. So Thorin climbs in first, then I get into the barrel.

"What do we do now?" Bofur asks Bilbo.

"Hold your breath." Bilbo states with a slight hint of fear in his voice.

"Hold my breath?"

A creek is heard from underneath the barrels.

"Oh no." is all that I can say, before we are rolling downhill in our barrels.

We land and the rush of the cold water is not something I enjoy. The barrel bobs up and down, and I am trying hard not to throw up.

"You alright? You look a little green." Bofur says from his barrel.

"I hate being on water. I hate the motion that it makes." Is all I can say before I hear another splash from behind Thorin and I's barrel.

"Well done Master Baggins." Thorin says before gives the command to move. He uses his arms to paddle our barrel, while I am looking back towards the company.

"Oh shit." I say softly as I can hear the clanking on armor. "Thorin, we might want to go faster."

"Hold on." Thorin shouts before practically throwing himself over me. He uses one arm to hold me to him, and with his other hand holds onto the barrel.

Suddenly I feel my stomach drop as our barrel falls a short distance. Oh how I hated water rides at amusement parks, and this is going to be just like them.

I push Thorin's arm off of me and quickly lean over the side of the barrel to throw up. Big mistake. I can see the rapids we are currently floating on and I proceed to throw up again. Thorin is trying to rub my back and keep our barrel from leaning too far over at the same time.

"You okay, Inara?" Kili and Fili shout to me as we all hear a horn being blown from a distance.

"I'll survive. It's just motion sickness." I tell them with a groan.

The barrel turns slightly with the curve of the river and I can make out a silver figure pulling down on something.

"No!" Thorin yells as a grated gate closes in front of us.

All of our barrels pile up at the closed gate, and I can see that Thorin is now frustrated. What pulls at my attention though is what I can see coming towards the elven gate.

"Orcs. Thorin, we have Orcs!" I yell and that seems to pull him out of his frustration.

"Stay down." He tells me before pushing me down into the barrel.

I can hear the sounds of fighting coming from the others, and I say a quick prayer to keep us safe. However, the bobbing of the barrel causes a warmth to spread across my stomach. Without thinking about it, I push Thorin forward, and allow myself to come up so I can throw up over the side of the barrel. After throwing up a few more times, I hear and see that the gate is starting to open.

"Oh hell no." I rasp out before the current of the water starts to push even harder on the barrel.

The barrel falls down a small waterfall, and again we are going through rapids. I throw up a few more times before an arrow hits our barrel.

"Get down." Thorin says as he pushes me back down into the barrel.

The smell of wet dwarf is enough to make me want to gag, and I whisper, "Don't get mad at me if I puke on you." I hear Thorin chuckle before giving out a fighting battle cry. I close my eyes and take some deep breaths to help calm my motion sickness. It also doesn't help that water keeps coming into our barrel with every drop of the rapids. This is why I don't do water rides, boat rides, or even roller coasters.

I am trying very hard not to focus on the fighting sounds that I can hear from inside of the barrel. Thorin moves in a drastic measure that nearly causes our barrel to fall over. I quickly come up to help stabilize our barrel. I can see Legolas and the orcs from a distance as our barrels move around a curve of the river. The rapids seem to have died down; but the current is still fast enough to carry us away from danger.

I throw up once more, and I feel Thorin pull my loose hair out of my face.

"You alright?" he asks me as I place my forehead on the rim of our barrel.

"I'm fine. Just motion sickness from being on the water. I have had this since I was little." I take a deep breath and let out a soft hum. I turn my head and see the others looking at me with worry. However, it isn't me they should be worried about.

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**Hopefully you all enjoyed this chapter. I had fun writing it. **

**Next chapter will focus on Laketown and Aliena being returned.**

**Selene**


	12. Welcome to Hell, I mean Laketown

**Hello everyone. Thank you to all who are following this story. I must apologize in advance for delays on the updates. The Spring/Summer semester is about to start, and I have three classes that will be taking up most of my time. However, I am hoping that this week I can at least get two or three chapters posted. Also, if anyone can help me with where to look for Khuzdul translations, that would be most appreciated. Google hasn't been helpful. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit or its events or its characters.**

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It has been four, maybe five hours, since our escape from the Woodland Realm. The current of the river has slowed down tremendously. My motion sickness, thank god, has calmed down a bit. However, the dwarves are still worried about me. I seemed to have passed out a few times during our barrel ride.

Thorin is holding me upright when he shouts to the others. "Anything behind us?"

"Not that I can see." Comes a reply from Balin.

"How is Inara?" Dwalin asks Thorin since his barrel is closest to ours.

"She is weak and tired." Thorin replies to Dwalin.

It is true; all that throwing up has made me weak. Passing out has helped a little with trying to get some rest; but it isn't enough. I know that I am in need of food, and that is what worries Thorin. Dwarves can go longer without food than humans can.

"I think we have out run the orcs." I can hear Bofur say.

"Not for long." Thorin answers. "We've lost the current. Make for the shore."

"Is everyone safe?" I ask softly with a raspy voice. My throat is raw from all the throwing up, and it hurts to speak.

"We will be." Thorin replies. During our trip down river, he had managed to get a hold of a branch; and he is using it to propel our barrel towards the shore.

"Good." I close my eyes and lean forward in Thorin's arm that is holding me to him. I dry heave over the side of our barrel.

"Let's get you to land so that Oin can take a look at you." Thorin says as his arm tightens around me.

"That would be lovely." I answer him as I feel our barrel scrap against the bottom of the shoreline.

"Here we go lassie." Dwalin says to me as he, Thorin, and Fili help me out of the barrel. I am passed to Fili, who helps guide me up onto the rocks. My legs give out, and Fili stumbles under my weight. He quickly helps lay me down on the rocks before calling for Oin.

My body is trembling against the rocks, and I have to close my eyes to keep the world from spinning. I hate feeling weak and useless. But so much of my energy has been drained, that I honestly don't think I can go on.

"Easy lass." I hear Oin say to me as he checks me over. He takes his time, and it isn't long for him to know what is going on. "She needs food. Throwing up like she did, for as long as she did, has taken much of her energy."

"Best check Kili. Fili says he is wounded." Dwalin's voice comes from above me.

"Alright." Oin replies before leaving.

"Bind his leg quickly. You have two minutes." Thorin's voice comes from a distance.

I feel someone lift my head and upper body up from the rocks. Upon opening my eyes, I can see that Bofur is the one holding me.

"Hello beautiful." He says with a cheeky grin on his face.

"Hi."

"Oh now, don't speak. That voice of yours sounds like a male voice. It doesn't suit you."

I am about to reply when I hear a series of arrows fly through the air. Very slowly I turn my head to see a man standing with an arrow trained on the dwarves.

"Do it again, and you're dead." The human male tells the dwarves. His head turns slightly and I know that he has seen Bofur holding me. "What did you do to her? Answer me!" he shouts.

It is Thorin who answers this man. "She is weak from being ill." Thorin moves to stand in front of Bofur and I before continuing. "She is also my wife."

The man lowers his bow, just slightly, as he considers Thorin's words. However, Balin interrupts before either Thorin or the man can speak.

"Excuse me, but um. You're from Laketown, if I am not mistaken." Balin starts to walk towards the man. He has his hands up in a non-violent manner. "That barge over there. It wouldn't be available for hire, by any chance?"

Balin and the man exchange words as the rest of us watch the exchange. As Balin follows after the man, the rest of the company follows also. Bofur tries to help me up, but I am still too weak to pull myself up.

"I will carry her." Thorin says as he bends down to pick me up bridal style.

"Sorry that I am so useless." I whisper into Thorin's ear as my head wobbles against his shoulder.

"You are anything but useless." He replies as he makes his way to where the others are standing.

Bilbo walks up to us before speaking. "I am sorry about you being ill. It is my fault."

"Bilbo. It is no one's fault but mine. I have always had motion sickness when it comes to being on water. If we hadn't used the barrels to escape, then we would still be trapped in those cells." I give Bilbo a small smile, which he half-heartily returns.

It is agreed to that the man will give us passage to Laketown. Thorin carries me aboard the barge and sets me down near the starboard side, near the bow. The man watches with suspicion in his eyes, as Oin checks me over again. Thorin, Dwalin, and Gloin are standing nearby as a kind of guard.

As the barge begins to move, I feel another warmth rising up from my stomach. It isn't long before another round of dry heaves decides to come. Because of feeling weak I lay on my side as each dry heave comes. Oin tries his best to comfort me; but there is nothing he can do that will help.

"Try to give her this." The man says as he hands out something to Thorin. "It should help her."

"What is it?" Thorin asks as he eyes whatever it is that the man has given him.

"It is leaves from a plant that helps with nausea. Pregnant women use it to help with morning sickness." The man replies before walking towards the back of the barge.

Thorin hands the leaves to Oin, who is quick to check the leaves over. He isn't sure about the leaves; but with no other option, Oin has me attempt to chew a few of the leaves.

It takes about an hour of chewing on the leaves before I start to feel a little bit better. The dry heaves have stopped, but the weakness is still there. I am still laying on my side as both Fili, Kili, Bofur, and Bifur come to sit with me. Kili's face is a little pale and his wound is still bleeding slightly.

"What a sorry duo we are, Inara." Kili tells me softly. "You ill, and myself injured."

"Cheer up Kili." Fili says. "At least we are no longer in those cells."

"I don't know boys. Maybe Thorin and Inara enjoyed being in their cell." Bofur says before they all chuckle.

"You are just jealous." I say softly as I am still chewing on two of the leaves.

"Ah. She speaks at last." Fili chuckles. "So, Inara. Should Kili and I be expecting a cousin soon?"

"Don't count on it." I reply to his teasing. "Due to the brutality of the rape, the doctors told me that I may never have another child. Aliena is my one and only child."

Fili, Kili, Bofur and Bifur's chuckles die away at my response. All four of them soon apologize and none of them bring it up again.

I close my eyes and attempt to gain some kind of sleep. Whatever sleep I did get, wasn't a lot. I am woken up by the sound of the dwarves climbing back into the barrels. All except, of course, Thorin.

"What about my wife? I will not leave her out for the world of men to see."

"She will be safe because she is human. The guards will simply think that I have picked her up to give her passage." The man tells Thorin in an irritated voice.

"It will be okay." I call out in a soft, but rough voice.

Both males look at me, before Thorin rushes to my side. "I will not leave you unprotected." Thorin whispers to me as he helps me to sit up.

"But I won't be. You all will be inside the barrels, which are only a few feet away from me." I tell him while trying to give him a smile.

"You must hurry." The man says from where he is standing.

Thorin lets out a low growl before giving me a quick kiss. "I will see you soon." He says before marching his way over towards the barrels.

"He is a moody one." The man says to me as he tries to help me stand up.

"You have no idea. However, I can be just as moody and stubborn as he is." I am gripping the side of the boat as if my life depends on it. My legs are still weak and shaking with effort to keep me standing.

"Here. Eat this." The man hands me a piece of what looks like bread. "It will help for now. It is bland, and should stay down."

"Thanks." I take a small bite of the bread. It is very bland in flavor, and the texture reminds me of sourdough bread.

After heading to the back of the barge, the man continues his steering. It doesn't take long till we reach some kind of guard station. The man steps off of the barge and goes to speak with one of the men before pointing towards the barrels. I can hear Dwalin and a few other dwarves complaining about the man selling us out. When I see what exactly the man has done, I try hard not to laugh.

It is a short wait, so I walk about the deck of the barge. I glance inside a few of the barrels, but try to act as though I am bored. I stop in front of Bilbo's barrel; and with my back turned to the men on the docks, we whisper to each other. When I hear the sound of footsteps, I quickly walk away from Bilbo's barrel.

"They won't be happy about this." I tell the man, whose name is Bard. Or so Bilbo told me when I walked past his barrel earlier. I walk up to him with my arms crossed over my chest.

"It is the only way to sneak them in." Bard replies. "It is good to see you up and about."

We both watch as the fish are dumped into the barrels from the loader trench. I have to bite the inside of my cheek to keep myself from laughing.

"Thank you for the leaves and the bread."

"It is not a problem. Though I am surprised that the leaves worked for you. From what one of the dwarves said, you have a sickness from the motion of being on water." Bard says before walking towards the back of the barge.

I am a little puzzled by Bard's words, but shake it off as him trying to say a joke.

Once the barrels are full of fish, Bard begins to steer us closer to Laketown. As the barge makes it way, both Bard and I have to remind the dwarves to stay silent. It goes on for roughly two hours before we make it to the gate of Laketown.

Bard starts talking to the guard, while I stand at the bow to get a better look of the place. Already, I have had to chew on some more of those leaves to help keep my motion sickness in check.

"What do you have here Bard?" comes a slime filled voice.

I look towards where Bard and a guard are standing on the dock.

"She is no one, Alfrid. Just a traveler visiting someone here in Laketown." Bard says as he moves closer to where this Alfrid is standing.

"Really?" Alfrid says as his eyes roam up and down over me. "And just who is she visiting?"

"It is none of your business." I tell the man from where I am standing at the bow of the barge.

"It is the Master's business, mistress." Alfrid says to me. "Take her." He says to the group of guards he has with him.

"Alfrid, don't do this." Bard says with worry in his voice.

The guards come towards me, and I fear that the dwarves will give themselves away in an attempt to protect me.

"I will not be taken anywhere." I say with an air of authority. The guards all stop just before coming onto the barge. "My father will be most displeased to hear that a group of guards were to take me against my will."

"And just who is your father?" Alfrid says with a little smile on his face.

I think back to when my friends would talk about Middle Earth and pull the first place that comes to mind. "My father is a lord of Rohan." I say quickly. "And he will be most displeased with your Master if he finds out how you treated me. He may, in fact, go to the King of Rohan, and ask for war against Laketown. Is that what your Master wants? A war?"

I watch as the guards all step back in fear, and even Alfrid seems afraid. So I continue on with my lie.

"So I suggest you allow me to pass, with Bard, so that I may a visit to a dear family friend."

Alfrid seems to think a bit before allowing Bard and I to pass through the gate. Bard, gets the barge moving again, and it isn't long before the guard station is behind us.

"Is your father really a lord of Rohan?" Bard asks from the back of the barge.

I walk over to him before giving telling him the truth. "No. My family is from a very distant place. I only know of Rohan by means of a few friends. Besides, if I hadn't lied, the dwarves would have given themselves away. I had to keep them safe."

Bard considers my words before replying. "You will have to be careful then. The Master of Laketown doesn't take kindly to those who disobey or lie to him."

"Well then, he will have to learn to be disappointed. Besides, that Alfrid person looked like he wanted to take something from me that I am not willing to give."

Bard raises an eyebrow in response. "That is exactly what the Master will want to do to you."

One of the barrels topples over, and I can see Thorin poke his head out of it. "Not if I have anything to say about it." He all but growls.

I give Bard a smirk before walking over to Thorin. "You do know that you will be having to take a bath before I allow you anywhere near me." I watch as he gives me a scowl before letting out a little laugh.

The barge finally comes to a complete stop at a dock. I help push some of the barrels over so that the company can climb out. When Kili's barrel is pushed over, I hear him give a muffle cry of pain. I quickly help him dig himself out of the fish. Fili comes up beside me to help Kili stand up.

Thorin comes towards us before taking my arm. Bard is waiting for us on the dock, so we all get off the barge and begin to follow him.

"What is this place?" Bilbo asks as we make our way through this place.

"This, Master Baggins, is the world of men." Thorin answers as he walks past Bilbo while pulling me with him.

We follow Bard through what looks to be a marketplace of some sort. I begin to notice that the people are starting to watch us; and a few of the men are starting to notice me.

"How much longer?" I ask Bard as we keep on following him.

"Not much further." Bard answers back as he keeps leading us to where ever it is he is going.

"Halt!" comes a voice through the noise of the marketplace. "In the name of the Master of Laketown!"

I look to where the voice came from, and can see a guard pointing straight at us.

"Move!" Thorin says as he begins to pull me with him. We run a bit before another guard appears down the alley and shouts for us to halt.

Another guard appears out of nowhere and grabs me from behind. As the guard struggles to get a good grip on me, I quickly kick his shin. I reach up to grab around his neck and bending forward, I use the momentum to throw him over me. As the guard lands on his back in front of me, I feel a sharp pain come from my lower abdomen. I let out a soft, painful moan as I press both of my hands to where the pain is coming from. Dwalin quickly moves to punch the guard in the face.

More guards come, and the dwarves start to fight back. They use anything that they can reach as weapons. Thorin pushes me so that I am behind him since I am now bent over in pain. Not a smart move moving so fast with muscles still sore from all the retching I have done recently.

The guards are subdued easily, and it appears that the people are trying to help us hide.

"What is going on here?" a loud voice comes from the other side of the market place.

The pain in my abdomen worsens to the point where I a need to let out some kind of sound. Before I can release a sound, Thorin presses my face into his shoulder. I grab hold of his arms to stabilize myself as the pain builds again.

"Bite if you need too." He whispers to me, as we all can hear the sound of boots walking across the wood.

I bite into his shoulder and it helps muffles my sounds of pain. My legs start to give way, so Thorin quickly wraps his arms around me to try and keep me from falling. It isn't lost on me when I notice Balin shoot Thorin and I a look. As the pain subsides, I stop biting into Thorin's shoulder. I let out a few shuddering breaths, as Thorin's arm tightens around me.

Bard does a quick glance at us before stepping out towards the other group of guards. Oin quietly slips towards Thorin and I after Balin gestures for him to come. After a few minutes, Bard comes back to lead us somewhere.

"She alright?" Bard asks when he sees Oin checking me over, while Thorin is still holding me upright, but from my side.

"Just some pain from doing something that I shouldn't have done. My stomach muscles decided to protest against me for throwing that guard." I say with a shaky voice.

"She will be fine." Oin replies. "But she needs food and some rest."

"Right then. Follow me." Bard says before starting to walk away.

Thorin helps me walk as we follow Bard through more of Laketown. As we come around a staircase, a boy comes running up to us.

"Da. Our house is being watched." The boy says to Bard.

Bard turns away from his son and I can see that he is thinking of something. He looks at me before asking the one question that I hate the most. "Can you all swim?"

All of the dwarves look at Bard with scowls on their faces. Bard tells us his plan to sneak us into his house. However, when I tell Thorin that I can't swim, it is decided that I will go with Bard and his son. I lean against a wooden pillar as all of the dwarves get into the water. Bard gives them all quick directions towards his house, and soon all of the dwarves have gone under water except Thorin.

"You keep her safe or you will suffer the consequences." Thorin says to Bard before going under water also.

Once I see Thorin go under the water, I feel another sharp pain in my abdomen. I let go of the pillar and almost fall to the wooden walkway. Bard catches me as he helps me to the ground.

"Da?"

"Don't worry, Bain. I will carry her." Bard says as he gently lifts me up as I pass out from the pain.

When I finally awake, I find myself laying in a bed. I attempt to move, but a hand comes to my shoulder to stop me.

"Easy lass." Oin says as he moves from the chair beside the bed. "You have been out for most of the day. Thorin has been worried sick about you."

"I bet he is." I say softly. "I smell food."

"Aye. I have a bowl of broth for you. The young lass brought it in for you." Oin says. "I will let Thorin know that you are awake." He says before leaving the room.

I sit up carefully, using the headboard to lean against. Looking around the room, I notice that there are actually two beds in the small room. It would seem that I have the larger of the two. To my left is a small bedside table and the chair that Oin was sitting in earlier. On that table is the bowl of broth that I can smell. I reach for it, so that I may eat. As I bring the bowl towards me, I notice that I am not wearing the clothes I had on. Someone changed my clothes, so that I am now wearing a shift and nothing else.

"Damn bastards." I whisper to myself before taking a spoonful of the broth.

Once half of the bowl of broth is gone, there is a knock at the makeshift door. It opens to reveal Bilbo.

"I was just coming in to check on you." He says as he quietly walks to the chair sitting next to the bed.

"It is nice to see you too." I reply. "So? What did I miss?"

"Not much really. Thorin almost attacked Bard once he told us of your collapse. Mind you, coming into Bard's house through his toilet would make anyone angry." Bilbo and I both let out a few chuckles. "It is really good to see you better. Everyone has been worried about you. Especially since we all feel guilty for having to leave Aliena behind."

I take a shaky breath at the mention of Aliena. "Well. I can't really help what all has happened. We had no choice but to leave her behind." Tears are starting to form in my eyes, and I brush them away before they can fall.

"I didn't mean to upset you, Inara." Bilbo says as he can see the tears fall.

"I know you didn't." I say as I keep brushing the tears away.

The makeshift door opens to reveal Balin. Bilbo quickly gets up to leave as Balin makes his way towards me. Once Bilbo has left the room Balin sits down in the now empty chair.

"What is the matter lass?" Balin asks as I try to pull myself together.

"Nothing is. I guess the stress of everything has finally caught up to me. Damn tears." I finally wipe the last of the tears away with my free hand.

Balin takes the bowl out of my other hand and places it onto the table. As he takes a deep breath, I believe I know what he is about to say.

"Lass. I know that you have Thorin have been," he pauses before talking again. "with each other. Back when you first joined us, I tried to warn you and Thorin away from each other. However, that hasn't been the case. I know that Thorin sees you as his yâsith, and all of us respect that."

"What is it that you are trying to say Balin? Please, be up front about it." I say to him since he seems to be having trouble saying it.

"With all the illness before and now the pain you have been experiencing. Is it possible that you might be with child?" Balin looks me dead in the face.

I take a deep breath before I speak, "I told Fili, Kili, Bofur, and Bifur that because my rape was so brutal, the doctors told me that I may never be able to have a child. Yet I became pregnant with Aliena, but giving birth to Aliena nearly killed me. So the doctors advised me to never try for anymore. Yes, I know that Thorin and I had been going at it like bunnies, but my moon cycles still came anyways. It even came as we were captured by the elves. I didn't tell anyone about it when it showed up, because it was my business. No one else's."

"I just wanted to know if there was a possibility. The reason why is because for dwarrowdams, they carry the bairns for only 8 months. So they feel the movements inside quicker than most other races. And there have been times where that movement can cause the mother to feel pain. We are a powerful race and strong. Even before we are born to the world. If you say that it isn't possible for you, then I believe you, lass." Balin says before standing up to leave.

I think quickly before asking Balin a question. "If it would have been a possibility, what would you have had me do?"

He looks at me from the end of the bed before answering. "The bairn would be illegitimate in the eyes of the other dwarf lords due to it not being fully dwarf. Also, there is a price on Thorin's head by his enemies. If his enemies were to find out about any child he may have fathered, its life would be at risk. There would also be the chance that Thorin would push harder to reach the mountain, only to succumb to the gold sickness that plagues his family line."

"Thank you for sharing that information with me Balin." I give him a nod of my head as he heads towards the door and leaves the room.

I do a quick calculation in my head before it tells me all that I needed to know. "Looks like the Valar know what they are doing." I look down at my abdomen before speaking again. "Looks like Mahal has blessed your father with super sperm." I whisper to myself. Now I must keep this suspicion to myself and wait to see if my calculations are correct. I just have to wait another month and then I will know without a doubt. Because by then, I will be almost three months into it. Grabbing the pillow that is behind me, I bring it to my face before screaming lightly into it one word.

"Shit!"

* * *

**There is the chapter my friends. **

**As to the calculations, if you start from the first day of a moon cycle (or period) before conception that is the start of the first month of a pregnancy. So during the spider attack and the first four days of Inara being in her cell is counted as the first week. So the possible conception date would have been their little "fun" charade in the cell. At this point in the story line, Inara is possibly about two months along. **

**Since I couldn't find anything on Google about how long a female dwarf pregnancy lasts, I just randomly picked out 8 months. So if Inara is actually with child, she might carry to 8 or 9 months, where a human female carries for 10 months (aka 40 weeks).**

**Reviews are always welcome. Even the nasty ones are welcome, since I see them as constructive criticism.**

**Selene**


	13. The Not So Great Laketown

**Thank you for the wonderful reviews. I appreciate every single one of them. Just so none of you start asking me about Aliena, she will be coming back to the story. I have big plans on just when she will return. It may take a few more chapters, but for her to be "gone" this long was needed. **

**Forewarning: There is an attempted rape bit in this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit or its events or its characters.**

* * *

After I had screamed and shed a few tears into the pillow, exhaustion had finally caught up to me. The next time I woke up, it was the middle of the night. The cause of my waking was that I was too hot and sticky with sweat. As I tried to move to escape from the blankets, I feel someone's arm pull me closer to them. I turn to face whoever it is that I am sharing a bed with. There is enough moonlight from the tiny glass window that I can make out a face on the pillow. It would seem that Thorin had snuck into the room at some point.

I shift a bit more so that I am facing him. It is while I am shifting around that I glance over his shoulder to see that Kili is laying on the tiny bed. Fili is laying on the floor next to Kili's bed. Knowing that Thorin and I are not alone in the room, I prop myself up on my elbow to survey the room better. Dwalin is laying up against the wall by the makeshift door. Bilbo is sleeping in the only corner of the room that doesn't have furniture. Lastly, Oin is asleep in the chair, with his head up against the wall. The rest of the company must be sleeping elsewhere, since I can hear their snores coming from the makeshift door.

I lay back down only to see two blazing blue eyes looking right at me.

"You're awake." Thorin whispers softly.

"Not for much longer though." I whisper back to him.

He moves one of his hands towards my face, before running the fingers through some of my hair. "I was worried. Bard said that you had collapsed."

"I am fine now. Just too much stuff happening in too short of a time span for my body to catch up on." I am hesitant in telling Thorin of my suspicion of being with child. So I snuggle up against his body, but push the blankets down to my waist.

"What are you doing?" Thorin asks as we watches me push the blankets.

"You, sir, are like a furnace. Add to that that some of the blankets are made out of fur; means that I am cooking while in bed with you." I rest my head next to his and watch a smirk appear on his face.

"Are you uncomfortable with the heat?" he asks looking a bit embarrassed.

"Only if you are trying to roast me like a duck." We both chuckle at my statement, before settling down to sleep in each other's arms.

When morning comes, I find that a long skirt, blouse, vest, and stockings are laying on the chair. I am the only one in the room, but there is evidence that the others had been sleeping in here. Their blankets are left all over the place, and I have to chuckle at the mess. I brush my hair; and put it into a thick braid with the braid Thorin did braided in as well. I quickly dress in the outfit before leaving the room.

I walk into what looks like a dining room and kitchen combined into one room. Most of the dwarves are eating at the table.

"Look lads." Bofur says from his spot. "Sleeping Beauty has finally woke up."

"Good morning." I tell the group before sitting down next to Kili. His face is paler than it was yesterday. I lean close to him before asking, "Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine." He replies in a gruff tone before continuing on eating.

A young woman places a bowl of what looks like oatmeal in front of me. I thank her before she walks away with a slight blush on her face.

After breakfast is over with, the dwarves all huddle together as I help the young woman and young girl wash the dishes. The two of them know what they are doing, but I grab a dry towel to help dry the dishes. As Sigrid gets about halfway through the dishes, I start to feel a bit nauseated. Tilda is quick to point it out to Sigrid, and I am given some tea.

"The ginger tea will help." Sigrid tells me as she hands me the mug. "Why don't you take a break? Tilda is old enough to be able to finish."

"Thank you." I tell Sigrid as I go to sit at the table. While taking a few sips of the tea, I happen to catch Fili staring towards the sink. I follow his gaze, to see Sigrid with her back towards us. A small grin appears on my face, as I look back at Fili. His face turns a little pink at being caught staring at Sigrid.

I place the mug of ginger tea onto the table, and with one finger gesture calls him over. Fili looks at the ground before walking over towards me. I motion for him to sit down next to me, and he does.

"Is there something you would like to share with me Fili?"

"No."

"Are you sure? Because the way you are looking at Sigrid, is a bit like watching a starving man drool at the sight of food."

Fili's face turns even darker before he talks. "What about you? Anything you wish to share?"

"No. I don't think I have any secrets to keep." I lie to Fili with a straight face. There is no way I am going to risk anyone finding out about my possible pregnancy. "Kili is looking a little worse today. What happened to him?" Trying to change the subject works, and Fili tells me what happened at the elven gate.

Once he is done telling me about what happened, we both notice that Thorin is staring out a window. I get up from my seat, and make my way over to him. I put an arm around his shoulders and give him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"What's wrong?" I ask Thorin with a worried look on my face.

"It's a dwarfish wind-lance." He replies, while not taking his eyes from something outside.

"You look like you have seen a ghost." Bilbo says as he walks by us, nursing a mug of hot tea.

"What is a wind-lance?" I ask, to try and pull Thorin out of his thoughts.

Turning just slightly, I notice Balin walk towards us. "The last time we saw such a weapon a city was on fire. It was the day the dragon came."

Thorin is still brooding so I push myself closer to him as I listen to Balin speak.

"The day that Smaug destroyed Dale." Balin continued his tale. "Girion, the lord of the city, rallied his bow men to fire at the beast. But a dragon's hide is tough. Toughest than the strongest armor. Only a black arrow, fired by a wind-lance, could have pierced the dragons hide. And few of those arrows were ever made. The store was running low, when Girion made his last stand."

Balin looks at Thorin and myself as Thorin begins to speak. "If the aim of man had been true that day, much would have been different."

"That may be true Thorin, but look at what all would not be here if that were the case. I would not be here, and you would never know the loyalty, courage, or the heart of every member of this company." I turn myself so that I can look directly into his eyes. "Without hardships to test us, how can we ever know our true strength and potential? How can we grow to become better without things to push us? You know of my hardships, and I would never trade them for anything. Why? Because experiencing them has made me into the person I am today. And I am much stronger because of it."

Everyone in the company are now standing, with determination and what appears to be a silent acknowledgement of what I am saying.

"I agree with Inara, Uncle." Fili says, with Kili simply nodding his head in agreement.

"Aye, the lass is right." Gloin responds.

"She speaks the truth." Comes from Dori.

The rest of the dwarves nod their heads in agreement with the others, and I can see Balin has a smile on his face.

"Spoken like a true queen." Dwalin says from behind me.

I turn to see that he has a smile on his face. He raises a hand and does some kind of gesture before everyone in the company, including himself, kneels down with their heads bowed.

"It would seem, Inara, that you have the loyalty and fealty of the company." Thorin whispers into my ear, since I am in shock over what is happening.

The sound of footsteps coming from outside, has everyone rushing to stand up. Bard comes enters the room from the door that leads to outside. He glances around before Thorin moves forwards out of my arms.

"You took our money. So where are the arms we were promised?" Thorin asks Bard.

"Wait here." Bard replies before towards the staircase that leads down to the toilet.

I wander back towards the small bedroom, and close the door behind me. I make it to the bed just as a sharp pain runs through my abdomen. If what Balin told me is true, about dwarves being strong even before being born, then I am taking this as a sign. I place my hand on my abdomen before sending a quick prayer to Mahal for strength to carry this child to term. There is no outward sign of a bump that my hands could feel. I press a few fingers hard enough, in the correct spot on my lower stomach area, and I can feel a hardness there. As I release the pressure, I feel a sharper pain run in the same area that I was just pressing down on. I remove my hand from the area and sit down on the bed.

"I promise you." I whisper down to my stomach. "That I will keep you safe. As well as your father. Mahal knows what all will happen when we get to the mountain. But the gods of this world as my witness, I will keep you all safe from what is coming." Oh yes, I know all about the coming battle. My friends spoke about it non-stop. They dissected every part from both the book and the movies. They even came up with different battle strategies that could have helped keep everyone alive. I will have to bide my time before I can even try to figure out which of the strategies could possibly work.

There is a knock on the door before it opens. It is Dwalin who enters the room.

"We will be leaving tonight lass." He says before walking towards me. "I would recommend that you stay here."

"Why?" I ask him as I stand up. "Am I not a part of this company?"

"No one is saying that you aren't. When we go to that mountain, it would be best that you stay safe here."

"I will not stay behind." I tell Dwalin before walking out of the bedroom.

As I make my way towards the table I can see that there are weapons on the table. However, the dwarves don't look to happy about the thrown together weapons. I reach out and pick up a pole that has what looks like a grappling hook on one end. I grip it tightly before doing a few twirling moves with it. Bard and his children look at me with shock.

"You know how to fight?" Bain asks me from a distance.

"Of course I know how to fight. Everyone needs to know how to defend themselves in case of an attack." I reply with anger in my voice before looking over to the dwarves. "And I will not be left behind!"

The dwarves are all huddling together as if in fear that I may spit fire out at them. Yup, mood swings are in full force it would seem. I toss the weapon back onto the table before storming out the door. The door slams shut behind me from the force of my arm. I pace up and down the walkway taking deep breaths in an attempt to calm down. When hearing the dwarves voices from inside agitate me even more, I decide to go and explore Laketown.

I walk along the paths for about an hour before I come across the market. It is a good thing that I stuck a few of the leaves into my vest pocket, because the nausea was starting to come back. I find the marketplace with relative ease and browse a few of the local vendors. They seem weary of me at first, before I start to talk to them. It isn't long till a few of the vendors start telling jokes with me. A few of them even offer me samples of the food that they are selling for free. As the sun begins to set, I decide that perhaps I should go back to Bard's place.

While following the paths that lead towards Bard's place, something happens that catches me off guard. From an alley way on my left comes two arms that pull me into a body.

"Let me go!" I yell before a hand is placed over my mouth. I try to bite the hand but it is covered with thick, heavy duty gloves.

"Looks like we caught the Master a lively one, boys." A male voice comes from behind me.

As I am dragged I can see that I have been caught by the guards who chased us yesterday. The guard who is holding me, is the one who Bard insulted yesterday. They weave their way through the wooden paths; while I am half dragged, half carried by the largest one. His hand remains over my mouth which is muffling my screams for help.

They eventually reach where they are going, and to my disdain, Alfrid is waiting on the stairs that lead up to a mansion.

"Well, what have we here? Could it be the young woman from Rohan?" Alfrid says as he walks down the steps to stand in front of me.

The guard still holding me, and his hand remains over my mouth. "What should we do with her?"

Alfrid gets the most sinister smile on his face before answering the guard's question. "Take her in to see the Master. I am sure he will have fun with her tonight."

I start to kick out and even scratch the arm that is holding me against the body of the guard. However, it isn't enough to stop the guard from carrying me up the stairs and into the Master's home. Alfrid is quick to lead the way through the halls, till we reach a room. He opens the door, and the guard practically throws me inside before the door is shut.

"Let me out of here!" I yell as I bang on the door.

"Don't be so loud girl." Comes a voice from behind me.

I quickly turn around and see the most disgusting looking man sitting on the edge of a bed. He stares at me before beckoning me to come towards him. "

"Come over here girl."

"I would rather not." I reply and stay where I am. "I demand you release me at once. My husband will be looking for me."

"Husband? Well, that is one problem I will deal with tomorrow." The Master stands up from the bed and walks over to where I am.

I try to move quickly to avoid his grasp, but there really is nowhere for me to go. There is a table and a wall to one side and a large piece of furniture on the other. The Master grabs my left arm, and pulls me across the floor. Since the force of the pull was so hard, my feet are no longer holding me up as he drags me towards the bed. With my right hand, I grab onto his arm that is holding my other arm. I am shoved up against the pillar of the canopy bed before my feet finally hold me up.

I am turned so that I am facing the Master with my back up against the pillar, before he leans forward to try and kiss me. Using my left knee, I hit him in between the legs just as his lips touch mine.

"Owww." He yells as he stumbles backwards, and reaches to hold himself where I hit him. "Damn you woman."

"No one touches me but my husband." I yell at him before I make a run for the door. However, the Master reaches out an arm as I run past, and catches me with it. He stumbles from the force of catching me, and we both end up onto the floor.

We both are momentarily dazed, before I feel his hands trying to lift my skirt up my legs. I kick my legs out and try to bat away his hands. It isn't long till I feel a heavy weight on my legs, and a hand grabs my left wrist to pin it to next to my head. By this time, my skirt is halfway up my thighs.

"Let me go." I yell at the Master as I continue to attempt to wiggle around. But my protests are not enough to stop him. His other hand works its way up my leg and I bring my right hand down to try to keep it away from where it is headed. "No." Tears start to swell up in my eyes in fear of what is about to come.

A banging on the door brings everything to a standstill. The Master lets out a growl before yelling, "I am busy here."

I close my eyes quickly as I hear someone reply. "Sire, we have captured some rabble who were attempting to steal weapons."

The Master lets out a growl before he climbs off of me. He makes his way to the door, and opens it. As he asks the guard a few questions, I quickly get up off of the floor. I am relieved that the guard showed up when he did, but my jubilation is short lived. Again I am grabbed, but by two guards before being dragged to follow after the Master. It isn't long till a door opens up that leads to the outside.

"What is the meaning of this?" I hear the Master say as I am brought outside as well.

"Caught them stealing weapons sire." The head guard replies.

We finally stop moving so that I am off to the right, behind the Master.

"Inara!" I hear Fili's voice ring out. I look up to see the dwarves all standing in the courtyard. Those poor chaps must have been worried about me, yet they tried to take weapons and got caught. I plan on never letting them forget it.

"Ah. Enemies of the state." The Master yells out.

"A bunch of mercenaries if ever I saw." Alfrid states.

"Hold your tongue." Dwalin's voice calls out. "You do not know to whom you speak. This is no common criminal. This is Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror."

Thorin steps forward from the group and I can see he is not too happy. "We are the dwarves of Erebor. We have come to reclaim our homeland." He states with as much authority as a king can. "I would be most forgiving, if you were to release my wife." He raises his hand towards where I am held captive.

"Why should I release her?" The Master asks. "She assaulted my guards."

From where I am standing I can see that Thorin is thinking quickly. "Then she did so only to protect herself." He takes a deep breath before talking again, but this time addresses the crowds. "I remember this town in the days of old. Boats, carrying fine silks, furs, and gems, use to line the shore. I would gladly see those days come back again. To share in the wealth that lies in the halls of Erebor." Thorin says loud enough to cause the people to cheer.

The Master doesn't respond, but Bard does as he makes his way through the crowd.

"Death! That is what you will bring upon us." Bard comes to stop, standing a few feet away from Thorin. "Dragon fire and ruin. If you awaken that beast, it will destroy us all."

Thorin has his back towards where I am at, but I can see Fili, Kili, Bofur, and Bifur are not watching Thorin or Bard. They are looking at me with worry in their eyes.

"You can listen to this naysayer; but I promise you this. If we succeed, all will share in the wealth of the mountain." Thorin states to the crowd.

Before anyone can say or do anything to respond to Thorin, a pain rips through my abdomen. So strongly that I let out a scream as I double over. The guards keep their hold on my arms.

"Inara!" Several of the dwarves, including Thorin shout.

I takes deep breaths and grit my teeth through another sharp pain. The dwarves are shouting at the Master to let me go and that I need a healer.

As the pain subsides, I look back up towards the Master, and lock eyes with him before I speak. "You will let me go, or I will kill you where you stand." However, the voice that comes from me sounds like a blend of multiple male and female voices combined into one. It seems to do the trick, because the guards let go of my arms before I pass out onto the ground.

When I come out of my sleep, I find myself in a large bed. I gently sit up, and quickly take in my surrounding. I thank Mahal that I am not back in the Master's bedroom before a movement off to my left pulls my attention.

"Inara." Thorin says from the chair that he is sitting on. A look of relief is on his face when I turn my head to look at him.

"Thorin. Where are we?" I ask him as I gently move my legs towards the edge of the bed. "Is everyone alright?"

"Everyone is safe in the other rooms. The Master gave us this small house as a place to rest before we leave in the morning." Thorin gets up out of the chair and walks over to me. He runs his left hand through my hair before speaking again. "You gave us all a scare after you collapsed. Oin checked you over and found bruises while you slept. Will you tell me what happened? Is this pain you feel coming from you being touch by the Valar?"

I take a deep breath before telling Thorin everything that happened, including my encounter with the Master. He appears he hasn't realized that I didn't answer his question about the Valar. Thorin lets out a growl before he starts to pace the floor. He paces the floor for a bit before he stops to look at me.

"May I braid your hair?" He asks me before walking back to the bed.

"You never need to ask." I reply with a smile on my face. Thorin directs me to sit facing him. He unbraids the one that he placed there so long ago before braiding it again. Then he does another braid on the other side, but adds to it a clasp bead from one of his own braids.

"There. Now you will be forever recognized as my yâsith. My queen. All dwarves will know that you are mine." Thorin says before he kisses me like a starving man.

I fall backwards to the mattress, and Thorin follows so that our lips do not break apart. I wrap one of my arms around his shoulder while my hand from the other arm heads somewhere else. When my hand finds what it was searching for, Thorin has to break our kiss.

"Are you sure? Even after what you went through earlier this evening?"

"I am yours and you are mine, Thorin Oakenshield. You will not be leaving me behind tomorrow. If I am truly your queen then I should be standing by your side when you open that door." I whisper to him, and instead of feeling pain in my abdomen there is a fluttering sensation. "Now I suggest you claim me, before I have to tie you to this bed."

A good portion of that night Thorin and I mark our claim on each other before we finally go to sleep.

Morning comes to fast, and we are soon having to get dressed. As I begin to put on the short corset, I notice that Thorin is staring at me.

"What is it?" I ask him before reaching for the clean, dark blue blouse that is laying at the end of the bed.

He walks over to me before brushing his hands along my waist. "Nothing." He says as his thumbs gently rub circles near my belly button.

Again I feel the fluttering sensation in my abdomen before I speak. "Are you sure? You seem so far away just now."

"Balin told me about what you and he discussed when we were at Bard's. It saddens me to know that you will not be able to bring forth new life again." He takes a deep breath before continuing on. "Perhaps it is for the best. I will not lie to you, but part of me had hoped that maybe you would give us a child of our own."

I start to feel guilty that I haven't told him of our possibility of having one. As I try to draw up the courage to tell him, there is a knock on our door.

"Thorin. We need to get moving." Dwalin's voice says from the other side.

"We will be right there. I suggest you finish getting dressed." Thorin says before he moves to the door and leaves our room.

I walk towards the mirror that sits on the opposite side of the room, and I stop dead in my tracks at what I see. "Oh no." I say as I look hard at my reflection. I turn to the side, and I can see a very small bump that could easily be mistaken as me putting on five extra pounds. "That was not there yesterday." I say to myself with disbelief.

Another knock at the door pulls me out of my shock, and I quickly button up my blouse which is a little snug at my waist line. Again there is a knock on the door, as I quickly put on my pants. The door opens to reveal Gloin as being the impatient knocker.

"Best hurry lass. We are ready to leave for the boats." Gloin tells me as he watches me scurry about the room to collect my things. I quickly wrap a shawl around me before Gloin and I leave the bedroom and make our way to the others.

We leave the house, but we appear to be one dwarf short.

"Where is Bofur?" Bilbo asks as we begin walk towards where the boats are waiting.

I am walking next to Bilbo and I give him a shrug of my shoulders. Before we left the house, Thorin had given me his coat to wear to help keep my warm. I am not really paying any attention to the conversations around me. My head still can't figure out how I seem to be getting a bump at this early in the pregnancy.

We reach the boats and everyone begins to loading them with supplies. Before I can climb aboard the boat, Bard pulls me off to the side.

"Sigrid wanted to me to give these to you." He hands me a pouch. "It is the leaves that help with morning sickness. And please don't tell me that you aren't pregnant. You have the glow of one who is."

"Tell her thank you for me, and please don't tell the others." I whisper to him.

"You haven't told them?" Bard looks at me in surprise.

"I don't need them worrying over me or treating me like I am a porcelain doll." I give Bard a hard look before I tell him. "Keep your black arrow safe. If we do wake the dragon, he will most likely come this way. Finish what your ancestor started, and kill the beast." I quickly walk away from Bard and make my way to the boats.

As I reach the boats, I see Kili and Oin standing on the dock side.

"What is going on?" I ask Oin as I can see Kili is upset about something.

Then Fili makes his way over to Kili, before I realize what is going on. I look at Thorin as he just stands there on the dock. Knowing that they are being left behind, I give Oin, Kili, and Fili each a quick hug and a kiss on the forehead.

"Keep them safe Fili." I tell him as I rest my forehead against his.

"You do the same, my queen." Fili says with disappointment in his voice.

"Of course I will." I let go of our embrace before walking over to Thorin. He helps me into the boat and soon we are traveling down the canals of Laketown.

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**This chapter was a bit difficult to write. Not because of the almost rape, but due to the fact that I was trying to figure out how to change a few bits. As for Inara's new little bump appearing out of nowhere, that will be explained near the end of the BOTFA battle chapters. So yes, a bit of a wait for you all.**

**Reviews are always welcome. Even the bad ones.**

**Selene**


	14. Confrontation with Smaug

**Here is the next chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit or its events or its characters.**

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It took us a few hours, but we did make it to the shore that lays before the mountain. Most of the journey I spent chewing on the leaves, and trying to catch some sleep. I am grateful that Thorin has allowed me to wear his thick coat, for the air is very cold.

We leave the boat on the shore line, before making our way towards the mountain. Dwalin and Bilbo are keeping an extra close eye on me. I know that they are wondering what has been going on with me, but I still refuse to tell anyone. Pulling Thorin's coat even tighter around me, I begin to follow the path that the others are going.

After walking for the rest of the morning, we reach an over look. There before us sits the remains of the city of Dale.

"It looks eerie. Like at any moment a zombie will just pop out of nowhere." I say out loud without realizing it.

"A zombie?" Bilbo asks with fear in his voice. "What's a zombie?"

Seeing the others giving me a serious look I quickly respond to Bilbo's question. "Just ignore what I said Bilbo. You don't have those here. I was just thinking about stories from my childhood." Actually, I was thinking of how Dale looks similar to a few scenes from the movies Resident Evil and World War Z.

We take a quick food break before heading on towards the mountain. By mid-afternoon, we reach the mountain and I am starting to feel exhausted. The others are tired as well, but Thorin pushes us to keep an eye out for any signs of where the door might be located.

As I move to sit onto a boulder, I can't help but notice some zig-zag designs running up the mountain with the large statues. I allow my imagination to run with the possibility of using the zig-zag design to climb up the mountain. My eyes are now following the design up till I can see a small in cropping.

"Holy Shit!" I whisper to myself, and fluttering can be felt in my abdomen. I start to laugh out loud with my realization. The company looks at me as if I have grown a second head.

"Inara?" Balin asks me. "What is it?"

Thorin, Balin, Bilbo, and Dwalin all walk over to where I am sitting. Thorin squats down in front of me. "What is it?"

"How do you keep a hidden door secret?" I ask with a playful tone in my voice.

"This is no time for jokes, lass." Dwalin says in a gruff voice.

"You hide it in plain sight. As part," I get up off the rock and point to the zig-zag design before continuing, "of a design."

The other dwarves give me an astonished look as they too begin to notice the zig-zag design.

"Well done, Inara." Thorin says before giving me a quick kiss on the cheek. "Move out."

We all hurry towards the base of the zig-zag design, and quickly decide how best to scale the mountain zig-zag path. Using some rope, we all tie ourselves to an even longer piece of rope. Thorin takes the front, while Gloin takes the rear. I am placed in the middle, in between Bilbo and Ori. It takes us most of the afternoon and evening hours to scale the mountain. Once we reach the end of the zig-zag path, we use the sculpture of Thror as our path, till we finally reach the alcove.

As I am untying myself from the longer rope, I notice that Thorin is quick to run up to the rock face.

"This has to be it." He says. "The hidden door. Let all those who doubted us rue this day."

Everyone cheers, but me. I know how long these dwarves have been waiting for this day. Yet, I can't shake the feeling that something terrible is going to happen.

Dwalin begins to search for a key hole for the key to fit into. I sit down on the ground and watch as the company moves about in anticipation. Ori makes his way over to where I am, and sits down next to me.

"How are you feeling Inara?" he asks me with a slight blush on his cheeks.

"I am doing rather well, Ori. Thank you for asking." I reply in a happy tone.

As the sun begins to set, I see desperation starting to show in the company. They are all worried about not being able to find the key hole. Finally the last tendrils of sunlight disappear, and it seems like all hope is lost. The dwarves look defeated, especially Thorin.

"No!" Thorin shouts, as he walks back to the rock face. "The last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the key hole. That is what it says. What did we miss?"

The other dwarves start to feel the anguish of not being able to find the keyhole in time. I, however, give Bilbo a look and he walks over to me. I tug on his coat sleeve and he bends down.

"They are forgetting about another heavenly body which also lights up the sky, just as much as the sun." I whisper to him with a smile on my face.

Bilbo gives me a quizzical look. I know. I could have easily told them about the moonlight, but I want Bilbo to have this moment. He thinks about it for a short bit, and just before the dwarves start to leave, he gets it.

"The moon. Moonlight!" Bilbo shouts. "We are forgetting about the moon!"

All the dwarves stare at him in shock, and I decide to stand up at this point. "He is right. The moon is also considered another form of light" I give Thorin a smile. "We just have to wait for the clouds to part and let in the moonlight."

So we wait till finally the clouds part and the moonlight comes through. As the moonlight reaches the rock face, a keyhole begins to magically appear. The company gives a cheer, and Balin is looking right at me in shock.

Thorin moves to were the keyhole has appeared in the door, and places the key into it. He turns it and once a click is heard, he pushes against the rock. A small crooked door opens us into a dark tunnel.

I walk over to where Thorin is standing and take his hand in mine. He turns his head to look at me, and I can see a smile on his face. "Erebor." He says to me.

"I know." I respond, and tighten my grip on his hand.

"Thorin." Balin says but he is too choked up with emotion to continue speaking.

Thorin gives Balin's should a slight squeeze with his free hand before starting to walk into the tunnel. I follow him in, still keeping a grip on his hand. Balin follows behind me and the rest come in single file.

"I know these walls. These halls. This stone." Thorin says as he touches the rock as though it was a long lost lover. "You remember it Balin? Chambers filled with golden light."

"I remember." Balin responds.

All the dwarves are now in the tunnel, but I am starting to become a bit worried about what comes next. I move a bit closer to where Thorin is, and I hear Gloin start to speak.

"Here in lies the seventh kingdom of Durin's folk. May the heart of the mountain unite all dwarves in defense of this home." Gloin say with reverence.

"The throne of the king." Balin says as he nods to Bilbo.

"And what is that, above it?" Bilbo asks Balin.

"The Arkenstone." Balin replies to Bilbo.

"Arkenstone." Bilbo says with wonder. "And what is that?"

"That, Master Burglar, is why you are here." Thorin says as he looks at Bilbo.

Bilbo notices that the dwarves have surrounded him, and he looks a bit nervous. I let go of Thorin's hand and walk over to him. I place a hand on his shoulder, and he turns to face me.

"You can do this Bilbo. Just believe in yourself, and you will succeed." I try to give him a smile, but it isn't convincing enough.

"Come laddie." Balin says to Bilbo. "I will walk you down to where you need to go." He says just before starting to lead Bilbo down the tunnel.

"I will come with you both." I say, but Thorin is quick to put a stop to it.

"Not you Inara. You will stay here with us." He moves to block my way. "I will not allow you to risk your life."

I cross my arms over my chest, and put on a defiant face. "Really. You are just going to allow Bilbo to go down there alone. Unprotected."

"He will be fine, Inara. You are too important to risk your life."

"So you are saying that Bilbo is unimportant? That my life is worth more than his." In all honesty my life probably was due to the pregnancy. "Unbelievable." I walk back up the tunnel and step outside to get some fresh air. For now, I was going to stay outside till I can cool down.

Mood swings are definitely getting worse. I lean against the rock wall, a little left from the door and away from the edge. "Great Mahal and all of the gods here, please hear my prayer. Keep Bilbo, the dwarves, and everyone in Laketown safe. I fear that the dragon will wake and everything will burn." I let out a shutter of breath and a few tears run down my face. "You blessed me with this." I place my hand on my stomach and continues to whisper up to the sky. "Tell me. What am I supposed to do? Why am I even here? Please give me guidance." I allow myself to slide down the wall till I am sitting on the ground. Just sitting there, I allow my mind to wander off for a long time.

It isn't long before the rest of the company comes out of the tunnel to wait for Bilbo. I quickly wipe my eyes and take a few deep breaths. Dwalin walks over to where I am sitting.

"You alright lass?" he asks me with concern.

"Yes. Just tired is all." I answer back.

Before Dwalin can say anything else, the ground beneath us shakes like an earthquake.

"Was that an earthquake?" Dori asks out loud.

"That my lad, was a dragon." Balin answers.

The ground shakes again, and Thorin looks over towards where Dwalin and I are. I stand up quickly and start heading for the door.

"Where do you think you are going?" Thorin asks as he marches towards me.

"To kill a dragon." I shout to him. "None of you understand, do you? Smaug was waiting for us. He knew we were coming. How? I don't know. But what I do know is that our friend, Bilbo, is in there right now, and he needs our help. So are you all going to behave like cowards by staying out here? Or are you going to be courageous; like I know that dwarves are."

The company looks at me in shock, while Thorin is giving me one hell of a dirty look. I know he is going to be angry with me over this, but I can't just leave Bilbo in there alone.

"We need to give him more time." Thorin says to the company.

"More time for what? To be killed." Balin states with absolute conviction. "You have changed, Thorin. I fear for you. There is a sickness that lies on that treasure. It drove you grandfather mad."

"I am not my grandfather." Thorin yells at Balin before walking up to him.

"No you are not." I yell at Thorin. "You are Thorin Oakenshield. You are your own person. But Balin is right. You have changed since we got here, Thorin. My husband would not stand around and do nothing, while a friend's life is in danger."

Thorin turns to face me, and I keep my eyes trained on him. He stalks over towards me, and Dwalin steps close to my side. Thorin stops when he sees that Dwalin is standing there, waiting for the moment to step in if necessary.

Before anyone can move, I make a break for it and run into the tunnel.

"Inara!" I can hear Thorin, Dwalin, Balin, and the others shouting my name. I don't stop running; I keep moving through the tunnels till I reach an open area with many staircases going through it. I quickly pull my hidden daggers out from my boots. Footsteps are quickly closing in on where I am standing, and soon I can hear Thorin's heavy breaths come up behind me.

At the same time, Bilbo comes running up from the stairs.

"Bilbo, you're alive!" I say with happiness in my voice.

"Not for much longer." Bilbo says as he starts heading to the tunnel.

"Did you find it?" Thorin asks him before moving to cut Bilbo off.

"The dragon is coming." Bilbo says to Thorin.

"The Arkenstone. Did you find it?"

"We have to get out." Bilbo says and makes for the tunnel entrance, but Thorin blocks him using his sword.

"Thorin!" I say quickly as I move to stand near Bilbo.

Thorin brings his sword up to Bilbo's chest and by doing so forces Bilbo to step back. I move quickly to stand in front of Bilbo, and that is when I see him. Smaug.

"Oh my god." I say with panic in my voice.

Thorin turns his head and sees Smaug as well. The dragon is huge, and I am surprised that I didn't shit my pants when I first saw him moments ago. Thorin moves to stand in front of me, and that is noticed by the dragon. Bilbo grabs my wrist and gently pulls me back to the stairs. The other dwarves soon appear and Smaug becomes even angrier.

"You will burn!" the dragon growls out as he charges at us. His belly turns bright with the incoming inferno.

"Go!" Thorin shouts before pulling me away from Bilbo.

We all jump down towards the gold below, and Thorin uses his body to shield my own from both the fall and the inferno. Dwalin pulls me up from the ground and leads me to another tunnel entrance.

"We can't leave Thorin behind!" I yell to Dwalin as we run through the tunnel.

"He will be alright lass." He replies before we reach what looks to be a small kitchen. He shoves me towards a corner, and Nori places himself in front of me as a shield.

Thorin comes rolling in with his fur coat on fire. He quickly pulls it off before Dwalin kicks it away once it is on the ground.

"Come on this way." Thorin says as he keeps moving.

Nori pulls me along with him as we follow with the rest of the group. We run through more passage ways till finally we come back to a wide open area.

"Shhh. Shhh." Thorin whispers as he gives a gesture meaning that we are to stop.

As I come to a stop, I feel a pain hit my abdomen. It isn't as hard as the other, but it makes me suck in my breath quickly. I stop myself from placing a hand to my stomach since no one knows the secret I carry. I had placed my daggers back in my boots just before we left the make shift kitchen. So I am somewhat weaponless.

"We have given him the slip." Dori says as he pats Thorin's shoulder.

"No. He is too cunning for that." Dwalin says before looking towards me.

I look at him for a moment, before turning away. I keep taking slow deep breaths to try and keep myself focused.

"So where to now?" Bilbo whispers.

"To the Western guard room. There may be a way out." Thorin says as he turns to look at us. His eyes lock onto mine, and I can see the real Thorin shining through. "Do you think you can make it, Inara?"

"Of course. The quicker we can get out of here, the better." I say to him.

"It is too high. We will never make it." Balin says in a tired voice.

"We have to risk it. It may be our only chance." Thorin says with conviction. He beckons me to come to him, so I walk over to him. He takes my hand before stepping out onto the pathway.

In a single file line we follow Thorin out onto the pathway. We move slowly to help keep the sound of our steps silent. Everyone is keeping an eye out for the dragon by looking left or right. I, however, remembering a certain scene from the Wrath of Khan, keep looking up and down.

As we keep moving it isn't long before a noise echoes through the open space. It was a coin hitting the ground. Everyone is looking around, but I look straight up. Right above us is Smaug, and another coin falls from the dragon's scales. I feel Thorin squeeze my hand, and I know that he is seeing exactly what I am seeing. I tear my eyes away from the dragon and look at Thorin. He gives me a slight nod, before he continues to walk. We finally make it to another tunnel, and begin to follow where it leads.

We finally reach to where Thorin is leading us, and the sight before our eyes is a hard one to see. Seeing the dead children, I quickly move to the wall before throwing up some bile. Bifur is at my side, helping to keep my hair out of my face.

"So that is it then?" Dwalin says from just inside the door way. "There is no way out."

I wave Bifur away once I am done throwing up. Taking a shaky breath, I step away from the wall, but I keep my back turned towards the dead bodies. I try in vain to keep the tears from rolling down my cheeks.

"The last of our kin." Balin says with sorrow. "They must have come here. Hoping beyond hope. We could try to reach the mines. We might last a few days."

"No." Thorin says. I hear his footsteps echo in the room. "I will not die like this. Cowering. Clawing for breath. We make for the forges."

"He will see us, sure as death." Dwalin replies to Thorin's suggestion.

"Not if we split up" I say from where I am standing by the wall. I take a deep breath before turning away from the wall. Everyone is now looking at me.

"We would never make it." Balin says to me.

"Yes we will." I say with a shaky breath.

"Some of us might." Thorin says out loud, backing me up on the idea. "Lead him to the forges. We kill the dragon. If this is to end in fire, then we will all burn together."

"Or we could have a nice dragon roast for dinner." I say with a little sarcastic humor, which does the trick and lightens the mood a little.

We break off into groups, and I am with Thorin, Bilbo, and Balin. We run out onto an open pathway, and I have one of my daggers in hand.

"Flee. Flee." Smaug's voice echoes through the air. "Run for your lives."

The four of us come to a stop as we see Smaug coming towards us.

"There is nowhere to hide."

Ori, Dori, and Bombur call out from another open pathway, and that draws Smaug's attention away from us. We make a run for it, and reach temporary cover. We run through more hallways and enter a large room.

"It is this way. Come on." Balin says as he heads to a door way.

"Thorin!" Both Bilbo and I shout together.

Thorin stops his run, and turns towards us. However, the thumping sounds of the dragon, stops him dead in his tracks.

"No." I whisper as I look quickly from Thorin to Smaug, then back to Thorin. I know that my face is betraying my fear for him.

"Follow Balin." Thorin shouts to Bilbo and me.

Bilbo grabs my wrist and pulls me towards Balin, who in turn pulls both of us to where ever he is headed. Balin pushes me deeper into the hallway as the dragons inferno ripples past us. The heat of it is so hot, that I swear I feel like I am about to melt. As the flames die down, Balin checks to see if Bilbo and I are okay. I give him a quick nod before we continue on.

Balin quickly leads Bilbo and I to the forges, where we meet up with most of the company. I am trying to catch my breath when I suddenly see Thorin come in with Nori.

"Thorin." I quickly say before I sprint over to him and throw my arms around him. "Don't you ever go where I can't follow."

His arms wrap around my tight before he whispers, "I could never leave you." Our quick reunion is short lived when Dwalin speaks.

"Thorin, this is never going to work. The furnaces are stone cold."

"He is right." Balin says in agreement with his brother. "There is no fire hot enough to set them ablaze."

Thorin releases me as we hear the roar of the dragon. We both look over to the grated entrance, before looking back at each other.

"You thinking what I am thinking?" I ask him with a smile on my face.

He smiles at me before saying, "Have we not a dragon, Balin?" Thorin starts to walk towards the grated entrance to taunt Smaug.

Dwalin however, pulls me aside quickly. "Head back towards the room over yonder, lass." He says quickly.

I quickly run towards where Dwalin told me to go. I know that the dwarves can handle the heat; but me being human means that I am more fragile. Once I get into the room, I move towards a corner and hunker down. I feel a blast of heat, then hear a few explosions coming from the furnaces.

I come out from the corner, but to my dismay I can hear the metal grates buckling. Then Balin, Dori, and Ori enter the room.

"What's going on?" I ask them.

"Making flash bombs." Ori says as the three of them scramble around the room, pulling certain items off of the shelves.

"Anything I can help with?" I ask Balin, as I take off Thorin's coat and toss it to the floor. I am sweating like crazy and taking off the coat helps a little.

"Here takes these." Balin says once he finishes adding the last ingredient to a few jars.

As I go reaching for the jars, I hear the painful screeches of the dragon, and a heated fog blows into the room. I grab what jars I can before leaving the room. Quickly I find an area, where I can throw the jars without having to worry about being seen. Once I see Smaug's head pass where I am, I quickly throw the jars at the dragon's body. However, it isn't enough and Smaug keeps heading towards Thorin

Some of the cable carts from up above, come crashing down onto Smaug. I take this chance run from my hiding spot and head towards Thorin and the others. Just as I reach them, Thorin tells us to lead Smaug to the gallery of the kings. Since I have no idea where that is, I look to the others to help lead the way. Balin takes charge and leads us to where Thorin said to go.

Once we arrive, I notice that Bilbo isn't with us. "Where is Bilbo?"

"Don't you worry about the hobbit, Inara." Dwalin says to me. "You stay out of sight of the dragon. Keep yourself hidden." He runs off with the others, while I quickly look to see where I could possibly hide.

It isn't long before I hear the thundering sound of Smaug coming that I start to panic a bit. I still haven't found a place to hide. So I run and hide behind one of the many pillars that make up the room. Once in the shadows, I hear fast moving footsteps echoing in the hall. Then there is a large explosion, with rocks and dust flying into the air. Smaug has arrived, and he is pissed.

"You think you could deceive me, barrel rider." He bellows out. "You have come from Laketown. It is some kind of scheming match between these filthy dwarves and those conniving miserable lake men. Those sniveling cowards with their long bows, and black arrows. Perhaps it is time that I paid them a visit."

As Smaug thunders down the hall, I hear Bilbo cry out "Wait! You can not go to Laketown."

I see Bilbo start walking towards the dragon and I can't let him go alone. So I leave my hiding spot and run towards Bilbo in an attempt to stop him. "Bilbo stop." I call out, before I finally reach him.

Smaug's movements stop for a short second before he whips around to look at the both of us. "You brought one of them with you." The dragon rumbles as he comes closer towards us. He looks very intently at me before speaking again. "Here I thought it was just you, barrel rider, who carries something far more precious."

I reach a hand down to grip Bilbo's wrist as I take a breath.

The dragon notices this before saying, "You care about them, do you? Perhaps I should pay them a visit, and you both can watch them die." Before thundering back towards the end of the hall.

"Here!" Thorin's voice echoes. "You witless worm"

I quickly pull Bilbo with me back towards the pillar I was hiding behind originally. We both hide behind it as we watch Smaug, turn back. As the show down between Thorin and Smaug continues, a very sharp pain rocks through me. Bilbo is quick to notice and helps me to the ground. I lean up against the pillar, and try taking deep breaths while refusing to let out a sound.

"You alright Inara?" Bilbo whispers to me. "What did Smaug mean a few minutes ago about you carrying something precious?"

I close my eyes as the pain gets stronger, and in the haze of the pain I have a lapse in judgement. My right hand moves to cup my stomach. I hear Bilbo let out a soft gasp, and when I open my eyes I can see the shock on his face.

"You mustn't tell anyone, Bilbo." I whisper to him in a pleading tone.

"But I thought you couldn't have any more children." He whispers back at me.

"So did I, but the Valar have their ways of doing the impossible. All I know is every time Thorin is in really bad danger, it is like our child knows it. The child moves and that is why I am in pain. I realized a few minutes ago that the two things are connected."

Bilbo is a bit flustered but doesn't respond to what I just told him. However, his attention is drawn away from me by the splashing of some kind of liquid. Whatever the dwarves did, it is not enough. Because Smaug still lives, and is now crashing through rocks to get to the outside world.

The pain has now subsided, and I get up off of the ground with Bilbo's help. We both go running out of where Smaug smashed through the rock to get outside. We keep running till we can get to the top of one of the smashed statues. We look towards where Laketown is; then we both look at each other.

"What have we done?" Both Bilbo and I say at the same time, before looking back towards Laketown.

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**Oh my goodness, this was a long chapter to write. I do hope you all enjoyed it. Sorry about following the movie more than the book. I had a hard time trying to write the book version for this bit. As for Smaug knowing about Inara's secret, that too will be explained in later chapters. I know, I am so mean for holding that information back.**

**Reviews are welcomed. Including the negative ones.**

**Selene**


	15. Fortifications

**This is going to be the last update for about a week. So I do hope you all enjoy it. I won't be covering every event of the days spent between Smaug's death and the others arrival to Erebor. However, there will be some hints as to what has happened between the two events.**

**I would also like to take this moment to thank my college English Instructor (and Tolkien enthusiast) for help with the Khuzdul language. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit, or its events, or its characters.**

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As soon as Smaug went into the clouds, I quickly ran as fast as I could. Not towards the safety of the mountain, but to a dwarf sentry tower alongside the mountain.

"Inara!" I could hear Bilbo shout to me.

I could not stop; no, would not stop running till I had a view of Laketown. My heart was beating rapidly as thoughts of Kili, Fili, Bofur, Oin, and the other countless others dying because of us. Tears filled my eyes as I began to climb up the rock stairs that led up to an overlook of the sentry tower.

"Please don't let it happen. Please don't let innocent people die." I kept whispering to myself. Once I reached the sentry overlook, I finally came to a stop to catch my breath. After a few breaths I walked over to the crumbling stone railing. Smaug was nowhere to be seen, for now.

Footsteps came from the stairs that I had just came up moments ago.

"Inara." Bilbo said. "It isn't safe to be out in the open. Smaug could come back."

I ignored his comment and kept my eyes towards Laketown. Then it happened. I saw Smaug come out of the clouds before letting loose his inferno onto the town. I gasped as I watched the houses light up and burn. A breath caught in my throat, and I made a pitiful sound.

"Bilbo! Inara!" the other voices of our company shouted; and the sound of multiple footsteps could be heard on the rock stairs.

I gripped the stone rail in front of me, and bowed my head as I let the pent up tears flow freely. I felt a hand touch my left shoulder as an arm snaked around my waist. I was pulled closer to whoever it was, and the hand on my left shoulder stayed where it was.

"It will be okay lass." I heard Dwalin's voice rumble from the body that was holding me. "Fili, Kili, Bofur, and Oin are warriors. They will come back to us."

I nodded my head against his shoulder before turning to look back towards Laketown.

"Poor souls." Balin says from behind me.

We all stand there listening to the bell toll, and the roars of Smaug coming from Laketown. A few of us are actually watching the destruction, while others are looking away or wandering about.

"Where is Thorin?" I whisper to Dwalin. Part of me wishes that it was Thorin who was holding me; however, deep down I know that I would most likely beat the crap out of him if he was.

"He is okay, Inara." Dwalin replies as he removes his arm from my waist. His wrist and hand brush lightly against my abdomen, and I breath out a shaky breath.

Balin removes his hand from my shoulder before walking away towards Bilbo.

"Dwalin you must speak true to me. Please." I whisper to him before looking him straight in the eyes. "Is Thorin truly alright? Has the gold started to affect his mind? I ask this because when I found Bilbo, Thorin drew his sword against him."

Dwalin took a deep breath, but it was his facial expression that gave him away. "Balin believes that Thorin had begun to go mad ever since we were in Laketown. I don't know if that is true. But know this lass, I will protect you from Thorin if he ever tries to harm you in his madness."

"Thank you, Dwalin. I truly hope that you do not have to ever draw swords against Thorin." I whisper to him and that is the end of our whispered conversation.

A rumble is heard by us all, and we all look towards Laketown.

"It fell. I saw it." Bilbo says as he moves towards where I am standing.

My eyes search the sky, and I see no sign of the dragon. "Smaug is dead." I whisper in relief.

Everyone starts to give little laughs and cheers but me. I haven't had a wink of sleep in over 24 hours. So exhaustion, fueled with relief, surges forward through me as my world turns black.

When I wake, I find myself laying on the ground of what appears to be a kitchen. There are many of the dwarves' coats laying over and under me. I am slow to get up from my warm, cozy place. However, the door opens and I see Dwalin and Bilbo come into the kitchen.

"What time is it?" I ask them as I rub the sleep from my eyes before standing up.

"When were you planning on telling us?" Dwalin says with an accusing tone.

"Tell you what?" I ask, but I have a funny feeling he may already know.

"That you are with child?" Dwalin says in a harsh tone.

I look at Bilbo with an angry look. "You told them?" I say in an even tone. Bilbo swallows loudly before backing up to stand behind Dwalin.

"He didn't tell anyone anything. I caught you when you passed out from exhaustion. How could you lie to Balin? To Thorin?" Dwalin says to me as he moves to stand in front of me.

"I haven't lied to anyone. When Balin asked me, I didn't even think it was a possibility. When I thought about how long it had been since my last moon cycle, I put two and two together. Then bang, the next thing I know I look like I have put on a little weight. I shouldn't even be showing any outwards sign for another two months yet."

"How far along are you then?"

"Only two, two and half months along. Which would put the conception date to only a few days into us being in those cells back in Mirkwood."

"Mi targê!" Dwalin grumbles out. "You are certain of this."

"Of course. I know my body and its functions very well."

Dwalin begins to pace and mutter to himself. Bilbo and I watch him for a few short minutes before he comes to a stop. He looks directly at me before saying, "You tell no one, not even Balin of this. That child you carry is not only a possible heir to the throne of Erebor, but also an heir to the house of Durin. And there are many who wish to see the end of the Durin line. For now, only us three shall know of the child till Thorin is no longer mad with gold sickness. Are we agreed?"

"Yes, of course." I say in agreement.

"If it helps keep Inara and the child safe, then yes I will agree." Bilbo says.

With that put behind us, I make my way over to our supplies from Laketown to look for something to eat. Bilbo and Dwalin exit the room together. I take a deep breath of relief knowing that I can count on Dwalin and Bilbo to help keep me and the child safe. I find some bread and jerky meat to nibble on before leaving the kitchen to wander the halls.

I spend a few days walking around the halls till a sound hits my ears. A sound that I haven't heard in a long time. Following the echoing sound, I run along the passage ways till I finally find the source.

"Aliena!" I scream as I see her with Fili and Kili on one of the bridge pathways. All three of them look towards me, and I quickly run to one of the intersections before running up the stairs.

"Mommy!"

As I make it to the top of the stairs I run only a short distance towards them. Aliena is quick to jump into my arms as I kneel down to her. I hold her tightly to me and kiss the top of her head.

"Don't we get one also?" Fili asks with a chuckle.

I look at Fili and Kili before giving them a grin. "Come here, my boys." Both boys are quick to join the hug, and I find myself crying happy tears. We stay in our hug till I feel another body slide in.

"It feels so nice to be loved." Bofur says cheekily.

"Aye, but we need to find the others." Oin says from where he is standing on the pathway.

The five of us break away from each other and I am quick to stand. "When did you get Aliena back? How did you all survive the inferno?" I ask them as I keep a hold of Aliena's hand

"It was Tauriel." Kili says with a faint blush on his cheeks.

"A group of Orcs invaded Bard's home." Fili says as we begin to walk along the path way. Aliena is walking between me and Fili; while Kili, Bofur and Oin walk behind us. "The elf maid arrived, and she had Aliena with her."

"Also the blonde elf as well." Kili all but growled out from behind.

"Anyway, the elves helped us fight off the orcs, and the elf maid saved Kili's life. Only a few hours passed then the dragon came. We all escaped the inferno with her help. Bard was able to kill the dragon, because he had a black arrow." Fili says with a smile on his face as we continue walking along the pathways.

It isn't long before we hear footsteps coming towards us.

"Wait. Wait!" comes Bilbo's voice. "Stop. Stop. Stop."

"Bilbo. Are you alright?" I quickly ask him.

"We all need to leave."

"Bilbo. What has happened?" I ask with a worried tone. I know for the past few days that everyone has been on edge. And Thorin has most definitely not been himself.

"I tried talking to him, but he won't listen, Inara. Thorin. Thorin has been down there for days. He doesn't sleep. He barely eats. He hasn't been himself." Bilbo says to myself and the others. "Inara, you must speak with him, again. Get him to see reason."

"I have tried Bilbo, but he doesn't listen to me anymore. He is lost in the gold sickness that is plaguing his mind." I look at Fili, then Kili. "I don't know what to do anymore. He isn't the dwarf I know. He has changed, and it has me afraid."

Both Fili and Kili look at each other. "He hasn't tried to hurt you, has he?" Fili asks quietly.

I close my eyes and turn my head away from Fili and Kili's face before speaking. "The second day we were here I went to confront him. Not exactly my brightest moment. I tried to reason with him, but Thorin, he... he held me against a wall, and his hand was around my throat. Balin tried to calm Thorin, but it took Dwalin, Nori, and Gloin to pull him away from me."

I hear both the boys gasp in shock, and Aliena quickly hugs my leg.

"All of us have been making sure that Inara is not left alone anywhere near Thorin since that happened." Bilbo tell them. "However, if all of us are there when you confront him, maybe this time he will listen."

"Would you like me to check you over for injuries, lass?" Oin asks me as I turn my head to look at Fili and Kili.

"Thank you for the offer, but I will decline it for now." I tell Oin and Bilbo at the same time.

We begin walking again, and Fili leans over to me. "He should not have hurt you. You are his queen, his kurdu. He should have never raised a hand against you. It is against our laws."

"Yes well. I am not a dwarf, now am I." I reply to him.

"It doesn't matter. You wear the symbol of the house of Durin in your braids. And because Thorin put those braids in your hair, it shows all dwarves that you and he are now joined. Which means, that you are now considered a dwarf." Fili says with a harsh tone in his voice.

I consider what Fili has said to me, but I am still a bit weary when it comes to this subject. Balin says one thing and Fili counters it with his own argument.

We finally reach a small dining hall where the others should be. Bofur calls out to Balin and then all the other dwarves start to become joyous at seeing their comrades. Everyone is excited about the reunion, and even Dwalin joins in. He rushes forwards and picks up Aliena before tossing her up into the air. She squeals with delight at being tossed up and down.

Myself and Fili are the only ones not joining in the celebration. We stand off to the side and watch the others. Bombur is quick to bring out what little food we have; and Gloin cracks open one of the kegs of ale that he and Bombur found yesterday. The celebration, however, is short lived when Thorin comes into the room.

"What are you all doing? You are supposed to be searching for the Arkenstone." He bellows out.

It isn't lost on Fili that I have moved backwards till I am up against the wall in an attempt to disappear. When Thorin's eyes find me, Fili is quick to step between us.

"The lads are back, Thorin. As is the little lass." Dwalin says with Aliena still in his arms.

"Did all not hear me?" Thorin says with a deadly tone in his voice.

Dwalin sets Aliena on the ground, and Kili steps up to take her hand to lead her away from Dwalin. "Aye we heard you. We have been searching for days, Thorin. We haven't had much to eat, nor much sleep since you have us searching for it." Dwalin says as he very slowly moves towards Thorin.

Balin step in at this point. "Let us have a quick bite, then we will continue with the search. We can't search for the Arkenstone if we are all starving or passing out in exhaustion."

Balin's words seem to work, because Thorin looks about the room before saying, "Fine." He immediately leaves the room and everyone who was holding their breath exhale in relief.

Dwalin makes his way towards Fili and I. "Fili, I suggest you and Kili help keep a close eye on Inara and Aliena. If it means skipping out in looking for the Arkenstone, then do it. You keep them safe at all costs."

"Of course." Fili replies before taking my hand to lead me to the table for something to eat. We all eat with the air heavy with tension. Once everyone has had enough to eat Fili, Kili, Aliena, Bilbo and I head out to wonder the halls for a few hours.

Bilbo eventually leaves us to go keep an eye on Thorin. The little hobbit has taken it upon himself to become a little sentry when it comes to my safety.

"He has changed." Kili says as we walk along a hallway.

Aliena had said she was tired so we are looking for a room for her and I to sleep in. However, she didn't exactly wait to fall asleep in a room. Fili is carrying her in his arms with her head resting on his shoulder.

"It was a slow change at first. It started back in Laketown. The closer we came towards the mountain, the worse it got." I say to Kili.

"Where do you normally sleep?" Fili asks me.

"I usually take little naps here and there. When Bilbo or Dwalin aren't busy, they are usually the ones who keep an eye on me. Especially since the incident."

"I still find it hard to believe that uncle would hurt you." Kili says before opening a door. He does a quick look inside before waving us to follow him in. "What do you think, Inara? Will this work?"

I look about the room and notice that it looks a one bedroom apartment. There is a very small kitchenette, living space, a doorway that leads to a bedroom, and a tiny bathroom. "It will do for now." I tell the boys.

Fili walks past me to take Aliena into the bedroom. There is a very large, almost king size, bed in the middle of the room. I watch from the door way as he gently places her on the bed making sure that she is far from the edge. He gives her a kiss on her forehead before placing his coat over her.

"You will be a great father someday Fili." I tell him as he walks past me. "But hopefully you will wait a few years before you go having babies with Sigrid."

Kili lets out a chuckle from where he is at, by the fireplace. He eventually gets a fire started, and the soft light from the fire lightens the room up a little. Fili has been quiet the whole time as he leans up against the door that leads back out into the hall.

"Will anyone be able to find us?" Kili asks as he gets up off of the floor.

"Bilbo might. As I explore the halls, I try to leave hand prints on the dusty parts of the walls. That is how Bilbo was always able to find me." I say as I let out a yawn.

"You should rest." Fili says from his spot by the door.

"So should you both."

"Kili and I will stay up to make sure that you and Aliena are safe." Fili says with a soft tone.

"Yes, but I am sure that you both are also tired from traveling." Seeing that both brothers aren't saying anything, I turn and head into the bedroom. I climb up onto the bed, and lay next to Aliena. I allow myself to doze on the bed, but I still am alert enough to hear any noise that may come.

I hear one of the boys shuffling around a bit before it goes quiet. Eventually I do fall asleep, and when I wake from my sleep I find that Aliena isn't the only person on the bed. Somehow, Kili has found his way onto the bed, and is asleep on the other side of Aliena. One of her hands is clutching his shirt in a very adorable way.

There is a movement behind me that causes me to take a quick breath. An arm snakes over the left side of my waist, and a hand comes to rest on the other side. Since I am laying on my back, I turn my head to see the back of Fili's golden head. He is fast asleep, laying on his stomach.

I hear a soft shuffling come from the other room. I look towards the doorway and see Bilbo standing in the doorway of the bedroom. I quickly slide out from where I am laying on the bed, and eventually get up.

"Thorin is calling for everyone to come to the entrance." Bilbo whispers.

"What is happening Bilbo?" I whisper back.

"Refugees from Laketown are now in Dale." Dwalin says from his spot in front of the door. "Bilbo and I arrived shortly after you fell asleep a few hours ago." He says to me since he can see my confused look.

"I was wondering why the boys were on the bed asleep." I say softly as I walk into the living room. I see a basket sitting on the small table in the kitchenette area. "What's this?"

"I took a few bits of food when Bombur wasn't looking. They need to eat, and so do you lass. Going hungry will not help the bairn." Dwalin says to me before walking into the bedroom to wake up the other three.

I pull some bread and a few bits of jerky meat out of the basket. "So, how is Thorin today Bilbo?"

"He is still not himself." Bilbo says to me.

Kili, Fili, Aliena and Dwalin come out of the bedroom together. I quickly hand out some bread and jerky meat to Fili, Kili, and Aliena. We all eat in silence before Dwalin opens the door to the hallway. He gives me a nod as he leaves.

We are quick to finish our small meal, before we leave to go towards the entrance of the mountain. Upon reaching the entrance, Thorin is standing before the opening waiting for all of us. Balin is standing next to him as is Gloin and Dwalin. Fili and Kili are still standing close to Aliena and myself as the rest of the company arrives. As each dwarf passes us I try to give them all a reassuring smile.

"The search for the Arkenstone will have to wait. This gate needs to be fortified immediately." Thorin says to us. "Find what stone you can, and close up the opening. No one leaves unless I wish it." His eyes land directly on me, but I refuse to shrink under his gaze.

"You heard him lads. Let's get working on the gate." Gloin says to the others before walking up to some of the larger bits of stones. Bombur, Bofur, Bifur, Nori, and Dori all move to help Gloin with the large stone piece.

Seeing most of the dwarves move to start working on the fortifications, Thorin walks towards me. Kili moves slightly, to place himself in front of Aliena. Thorin stands before me, and I can see nothing of the real Thorin in his eyes.

"You." He says to me, "Shall oversee the building of the defenses. You have knowledge of battle tactics, so put it to good use. Make sure that the gate is impenetrable, Azbadu men." He marches back into the hall, and Dwalin is quick to follow.

I let out the breath I didn't realize that I was holding. Everyone is staring at me, waiting for my command.

"Right." I say before giving Kili a small smile. "What kind of dimensions are we working with?"

"Dimensions?" Ori says clutching what appears to be a new journal.

"Measurements? How wide across by how high and by how thick. Ori, may I have some paper and a pencil?" Ori is quick to hand over his journal and a coal made pencil. I quickly glance at the gate, before drawing how it looks onto the paper. I then proceed to lightly draw out the possible make shift barricade. All while I am doing this, the dwarves swarm around me to watch.

"I get it now." Fili says. "Is this what you meant by dimensions?"

"Sort of." I tell him as I finish with the drawing. "My father used to find old blueprints of buildings or ships. Then he would scale down the numbers before beginning to build the models of buildings or ships."

"You really think that we can build what you just drew?" Bofur asks me.

"Of course." I hand Ori back the journal and coal pencil. "You can keep that drawing by the way. Add it to the archives as a means of reference for future generations."

"Of course, my queen." Ori says with a bow.

"Right. Let's get to work. Bombur, Gloin, Dori, Nori, and Bifur. I want you all to start placing the largest and heaviest stones in the front and middle of the base." I walk over to the entrance and start to point out where exactly the stones need to go.

"Aye." Bombur says before the small group starts on their work.

"Bofur, Oin, Fili and Kili I want you to start bringing some stones of medium size, like these," I point to stones ranging from my size to Aliena's size. "over here. We can use this as a staging ground for when they are needed. Ori, Aliena and myself will look for stone to help fill in any gaps that may need to be filled."

We all get to work, and I help keep an eye on the construction. What the dwarves don't know is that I am leaving a portion of the wall weak from our side. If I we need to leave his place, I want to make sure that the wall can fall if it hard enough from something we have on the inside. I glance up towards the ceiling and notice there is a rock pathway bridge over head. We might be able to attach a large battering ram like object to it; and hope that the momentum of the swing is enough to cause the wall to fall apart.

Bilbo is looking at me, when I come out of my thoughts. "What is it?" I ask him as he slowly walks up to me.

"You didn't really give me a job." He says with a worried look on his face.

"Your job," I whisper softly to him. "is to remind me not to over exert myself. Remind me when I need to take a break or eat."

He gives a small chuckle, before going back to sit on a rock nearby.

We work for hours; taking breaks to eat and sometimes rest. The sun has set before Thorin arrives with Dwalin and Balin trailing behind him. He survey's our work before saying, "I want this fortress made safe by sun up."

The wall is about halfway built by now, and more of the medium to small size stones are now being used. I had to start sending Kili and Bofur to go into the Hall of the Kings to retrieve what stones were laying on the floor. Aliena and Bilbo had gone with them on this last trip and were just starting to come back with more stone.

"This mountain was hard won. I will not see it taken again." Thorin says as he moves through the work area.

"The people of Laketown have nothing." Kili says as he drops the handles of the cart he is pulling. I can see that he is a bit upset, but there is nothing I can say or do to if him and Thorin get into a fight. "They have lost everything."

"Do not tell me what they have lost." Thorin says with a hint of anger in his voice. "I know well enough of their hardship. Those who have lived through dragon fire should rejoice. They have much to be grateful for." He says as he looks out towards Dale, before issuing the order of more stone.

The dwarves start to double their efforts on building; yet I have to stop helping with the construction. The flutters in my abdomen are starting happen a lot more since Thorin joined us at the gate. Dwalin sees the exhaustion on my face, and comes over to me.

"You and the wee lass should go rest for the night." Dwalin whispers to me as I move to sit down on a rock.

"I am alright Dwalin. I just need a quick moment to collect my strength." I reply while I give him a tired smile.

"I will escort Inara and Aliena to a room so that they may rest." Dwalin practically yells out so everyone can hear.

"So be it. She has done well with the construction." Thorin says from his place at the top of the wall.

Dwalin give Thorin a nod before helping me to my feet. "Let's go lass." He walks over to the cart and pick Aliena up off of the stone that she was sitting on. He carries her over to me, and the three of us walk away to look for a place to rest.

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**A smaller chapter yes, but I figure it can be a little bit of a filler. You should see the next update next Saturday, unless I have the time to post one next week. This chapter probably isn't the best, but it will do for now.**

**Reviews are welcomed. Even the negative ones.**

**Selene**


	16. Locked Away in Erebor

**Hello all. Sorry it has taken this long to get an update. One of my college classes is kicking my butt, and I have a funny feeling that I will be retaking the class in the fall semester. I hope everyone is having a good weekend.**

**The song, This Love, that I used belongs to Taylor Swift, but I changed one word in the lyrics. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit or its characters or its events.**

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Three days is how long it took for the defense wall to be finished. Over the next 2 months, time seemed to slow to a crawl inside the mountain. Aliena and I would clean the rooms that the dwarves had temporarily claimed as theirs, while they searched for the Arkenstone, did guard duty, or worked on whatever tickled their fancy.

Fili, Kili, Aliena, and I shared what would be known as a two bedroom apartment in my world. Fili and Kili took the bedroom that was closest to the main entrance; while Aliena and I took the farthest away. Sometimes, Bilbo or Dwalin would stay in the living room area when Thorin was in angry mood.

Sharing a living area with the boys was tricky. Trying to hide the small bump was becoming harder. During my pregnancy with Aliena, all my body looked like was if it gained weight. Then at 32 weeks (or 8 months) I looked like I had swallowed a soccer ball. This time, it seems like the "gentle weight gain" look isn't going to happen. If I turn to the side, while wearing a close fitting shirt, you can definitely see a small, gradual bump.

Took keep anyone, including Aliena, from noticing the bump I have been searching out rooms that still have viable clothes. I mostly swipe the male style tunics and shirts out from dressers or closets. Then I have been removing the sleeves from the female dresses, and cut a large slit from the neck down the bottom. Put together it kind of mimics a loose, long flowing, open front tank with a shirt underneath style that was popular back home. For the pants, I have also been using male style pants, but only of a particular size. The length of the pants aren't an issue since one of the women of Laketown had given me a pair of soft, knee-high leather boots.

This morning, I had decided to have a bath before getting dressed. Aliena was still asleep in her bed which sat on the opposite side of the room from my bed. So having a quiet bath was in order. I picked out a pale blue tunic with one of the navy over vests that had silver leaves embroidered on it. Navy blue pants would help compliment the tops that I had chosen. With all of the outfit in one arm, I grab my black knee-high boots with my free hand. I leave the room and make my way to the bathroom door.

I close the bathroom door behind me, and make my way over to the large spa style bathtub. There is a short- length, short-height, stone wall that separates the bath from the rest of the bathroom. One good thing about living in the mountain, some of the water flows by the forges help heat the water for a person to have a hot bath. Placing my clothes onto the earlier mentioned wall, I make my way over to open the water faucet. Hot water to fill the tub, as I begin to add some fragrance salts to the water. Once the water level of the tub has reached where I want it, I close off the faucet. I quickly strip out of my short night shirt, and under clothes.

I climb into the tub carefully, and allow the warm water to soothe my aching muscles. Leaning my head back against the headrest, I close my eyes in an attempt to relax. The atmosphere of the room stays tranquil for a time before it disappears.

The door to the bathroom opens up and footsteps enter the room. I assume that it is Aliena entering, but I am about to be proven wrong.

"_Lu akraditu!__"_

I look over to where the voice came from, and there I see Kili standing there. Moving faster than I have in the past two months, I quickly sit up and pull my knees towards me. I wrap my arms around my knees to help hide my body.

"Kili! Don't you ever knock before entering a room?"

"I uh..." Kili is trying hard not to look directly at me as he struggles to find his words. "I didn't mean to barge in here. I thought it was empty."

"Well then I suggest you do what you need to do and leave." I tell him, knowing that he is probably in need to use the toilet.

Kili looks at the toilet then looks back towards me. "I originally came in to..." He nods towards the toilet, but still keeps eye contact with me. "But seeing what I just saw. How could you lie to us? Does Thorin know?"

I take a deep breath knowing that Kili has now found out my secret. Which now means that Fili will soon find out because Kili has never been known to keep secrets from his brother.

"Well? Does he?" Kili moves to sit on the half wall and glares down at me.

"What I told you on the boat holds true, Kili. I didn't find out till we were here in the mountain, facing Smaug." I say to Kili, hoping he will believe my little lie.

"So the dragon told you."

"Yes. This pregnancy shouldn't even be possible. I don't know why Mahal gave your uncle strong swimmers, or even why the Valar went through the trouble to cause this. But know that I do plan on seeing this pregnancy through to the end."

"Even if it causes your death? Inara, you can't be serious." Kili is starting to become upset but there is nothing I can do to help.

"Kili. Any day now the men of Laketown are going to come to the mountain seeking what is owed to them. So even if the pregnancy doesn't kill me, there is a good chance that the war will inevitably come. As for Thorin knowing about the pregnancy, no he doesn't. He hasn't been himself since after Smaug was defeated. Only Dwalin and Bilbo knew, but only because they heard what Smaug had said to me."

I look up at Kili and can see he is a bit disappointed with what he is hearing.

"You have to promise me, Kili, that you will not tell another soul about this pregnancy. Tell Fili if you must, but no one else. We don't need any more darkness coming into this mountain."

"I promise." Kili responds before giving me one hell of a cheeky grin. "So Fili and I are getting a cousin!"

I let out a laugh and so does Kili. A knock on the door brings our laughter to an end, and Kili gets up to leave the bathroom. As the door closes behind him, I can hear him talking to someone. When I hear a loud "What!" come from the other side of the door, I know that it is Fili who Kili is talking to.

After a few more minutes in the tub, I decide that it is time to get out of the tub. I dry off and get dressed as fast as I can, before having to face the storm that is waiting outside of the door. Standing on the other side of the bathroom door is Fili, and by the look on his face he is not happy.

"Inara." Fili says to me in an even tone.

"Fili." I answer back.

"So, it is true then. What Kili just told me." Fili looks down towards my abdomen.

"Yes." I say before pulling the chest part of the vest closer to tie it shut.

"When were you going to tell us?"

"When everything settled down and Thorin would no longer be under whatever sickness has over powered his mind."

Fili takes a deep breath before walking away from me. It will take him some time, but I know that Kili will bring him around.

I head towards the small kitchenette of the apartment, and notice that Bilbo is eating breakfast with Kili and Aliena.

"Good morning Bilbo."

"Morning Inara. So I hear that Fili and Kili now know of your _issue_." Bilbo asks covertly since Aliena is still not knowing.

"Yes, they know. Oh look, a plum!" I move quickly to grab the plum from the basket that is sitting on the table.

"Ick." Kili says, making a disgusted face at Aliena.

"Icky." Aliena answers back, trying to mimic Kili's face.

We all chuckle at the childish display between Kili and Aliena. None of us knows that in a matter of seconds our little respite would be destroyed.

The door to the apartment slams open and Dwalin hurries in. "All of you best come quick. Someone is approaching the gate." He says in a hurry as he places a medium sized, wrapped object onto the table.

Fili and Kili quickly head off towards their room to grab some things. Bilbo and Aliena finish up eating their breakfast at the table.

"What is this?" I ask Dwalin as I toss the plum pit into a bin.

"It is what we had discussed a month ago. Balin, Bifur, and I put the finishing touch to it two days ago. Seems that you may be in need of using it soon." Dwalin says as he begins to unwrap the object.

Laying their on top of the now open wrappings, is a weapon. It is a combination of a battle axe and a hammer put together. The thick head of the hammer starts; then it has a slight narrowing out at the middle. Followed by a thickening that forms into a rather large axe head. This magnificent weapon is attached to a three foot pole, which can slide apart to create two separate weapons from the one.

"It is beautiful." I say to Dwalin as I lift the weapon. After testing the feel of the single weapon, I do a few practice moves before making the weapon turn into two. Twirling the two weapons in my hands, I can feel the balance and weight of the weapons.

"I balanced them myself, lass. You couldn't ask for a finer weapon." Dwalin gives me a smile to show that he is pleased with my response.

Fili and Kili return to the living room area and are quick to notice my new weapons.

"May I take a look?" Kili asks with wonder in his voice.

"Dwalin. Inara should not be using any weapons at this time." Fili says with a hint of anger in his voice.

"She will be needing something to defend herself and Aliena with." Dwalin says as he crosses his arms across his chest.

"Not in her condition." Fili moves towards me as if he plans on taking my weapons away from me.

"Even more so in her condition." Dwalin growls out at Fili. "And how is it that you have come into knowing about it?"

"I walked in on Inara while she was bathing." Kili says sheepishly as he moves to place himself between Dwalin and his brother. "I didn't know she was in there when I walked in. Personally, I would feel much better if Inara was armed."

Fili let out a growl and ran his left hand through his hair. "You don't understand, Kili. I am Thorin's heir to the throne. Now that Inara is with child, that child is now my heir. I won't allow her to put her or my heir in danger."

"Excuse me, Fili! But when did you become my keeper? I can't just sit back and watch as dwarves, elves, or even men die knowing that I can help in the fight." I shout at Fili as everyone else takes a deep breath. I place my weapons down onto the table.

"Inara. You don't understand."

"No you don't understand Fili. You, Thorin, and Kili may die if war is truly coming to the slopes of Erebor. Now where would that leave the rest of us?" I grab Fili by his shoulders to force him to look directly at me. I keep making sure to look directly into his eyes for a few minutes; then I feel him let the tension out of his shoulders.

"Fine. Keep your weapon, but I will not allow you to put yourself in danger." Fili says as he breaks away from my hold. He continues walking and opens the door to leave the apartment.

"Don't worry Inara. The lad is worried. With Thorin staying in his madness, Balin has been pestering Fili to take control." Dwalin says as he too makes to leave the room. "I will go talk some sense into him."

So now it is just Bilbo, Aliena, Kili and I left in the room. Sensing that there is still some tension in the room, Bilbo has Aliena help him clean up from breakfast.

I take a few deep breaths to try and help calm me down. I walk over to the table, and pick up my weapons before putting my two weapons back into one.

"He is just worried about you, Inara. Since uncle has been lost to the sickness Fili feels that it is his responsibility to look after you in uncle's place." Kili says softly to me as he walks over to the basket of left over breads. He hands me what looks like a biscuit before continuing to speak to me. "Though I really can't blame Fili for trying to keep you from fighting. None of us wants to see you hurt, or worse dead. Who would take care of Aliena if either of those things were to happen?"

I take a bite from the biscuit before answering. "I would trust that you all would look after her if that were to happen."

"We know that; but we really don't want to see that happen. Fili and I lost our father before I was even born. We know what it is like to grow up without a parent. However, we still had our mother and uncle. Aliena would be left with no real blood family."

I can see that Kili is trying to use a guilt trip to keep me from a fight, unlike Fili who tried to dictate to me that I couldn't fight. However, I grew up around the master of guilt trips, and I was not going to fall for this one.

"I know you boys mean well." I tell Kili as I place my left hand onto his right cheek. "But I will not allow the three of you to fall in battle. I don't think my soul could handle not having you three laying in a tomb. I will make no promises to stay out of battle, but I will promise not to purposefully put your little cousin in danger."

Kili gives me a quick smile, before dropping down in front of my stomach. "I still can't believe that I am going to have a cousin." He looks up at me with a questioning look. I give him a little smile before I give him silent permission. He looks back at my abdomen, and begins to talk to it. "Hey you in there. I am your big cousin, Kili. Fili and I can't wait to meet you. There is so much we are going to teach you."

I feel a strong punch or kick close to where Kili is talking to my stomach. The discomfort from the strong hit forces me to gasp and place my free hand onto my belly.

"You alright, Inara?" Kili asks in a panicked voice as he stand up quickly.

"It just hit me very hard is all." I remove my hand from my belly and grab one of Kili's hands. I place his hand on the gentle cupping of my belly. "Here. Now talk to your little cousin again."

Kili's eyes widen with shock before talking again. "You have got to treat your Amad with respect glivashel." At this point, Kili and I felt two very strong hits, and we both started giggled.

"Looks like your little cousin is telling you what for." I say to Kili as I back away from him.

"It is sad to know that uncle is missing out on feeling that. I just wish there was a way to pull him out of whatever has hold of him." Kili looks towards the door with a sad look upon his face.

Bilbo and Aliena come back into the living room before we all decide to leave. Grabbing my new weapon in my left hand, and Aliena's hand with my right, the four of us leave. We walk down the hallways and eventually make our way towards the entrance gate.

Thorin is already there, standing on the top rampart. Fili is up there as well as most of the company. Kili heads up the make shift stairs with Bilbo following him. I let go of Aliena's hand and bend down to her level.

"Stay here, sweetie. I don't know what is about to happen, but I need you to stay put. Okay?" I whisper to her.

"Is papa going to be okay, mommy?" Aliena asks with such worry in her voice.

"I don't know. Don't worry, okay?" I give her a small smile before I stand back up and make my way up the stairs. Since I am the tallest person in our company I can see that it is Bard who has come. The other dwarves notice my arrival. All except Thorin who is talking with Bard about thieves and robbers. Balin gives me a small smile which I return. Dwalin and Fili both nod their heads to me as well.

"My lord." Bard says before he notices me. "And my lady. We have not come to rob you, but to seek fair settlement. Will you not speak with me?"

Thorin glances over his shoulder and notices that I have now joined the group. He gives me a thoughtful look before looking back at Bard. He gives Bard a deep nod and a head gesture that lets Bard know he may come towards the gate. Thorin backs away from the gate and takes me by the arm.

"You should not have come here." Thorin whispers to me as he pulls me with him down the stairs.

"I didn't have a choice. I will not allow you to face a possible enemy alone." I growl at him as we reach the bottom of the gate.

Both Thorin and I walk over to a small opening and wait for Bard.

"We are listening." Thorin says softly to Bard, who is now on the other end of the opening.

"On behalf of the people of Laketown, I ask that you honor your pledge. A share of the treasure so that they may rebuild their lives." Bard asks with sincerity.

"We will not treat with any man while an armed host lies before my door." Thorin states back to Bard.

"That armed host will attack this mountain, if we do not come to terms." Bard says as he looks towards me.

Seeing my chance, I quickly speak. "Does Thranduil threaten your people? Are the people of Laketown being used as hostages by Thranduil?"

Both Thorin and Bard look at me; one with confusion and the other with a hint of anger. Neither one answers so I continue speaking.

"Bard. Has Thranduil promised or given any aid to your people?" I ask through the opening.

"He has. Why should that matter?" Bard asks quickly.

"Then I take it, he will pull away from doing trade with the survivors if he doesn't get the gems he wants from this mountain. Bard, listen to me. Thranduil is placing you into the middle of a feud between him and Thorin. You mustn't let that happen." I can see Bard thinking things through and starting to piece together the whole picture from what little bits I gave him. Thorin however, isn't being very patient and pulls me away from the opening.

"Your threats do not sway me." Thorin says to Bard as he tightens his grip on my arm.

I take a quick breath as I feel the small being inside of me flail its limbs; hitting me all over. Knowing that I must keep the pregnancy a secret from everyone, I try hard to hide my discomfort. The conversation between Thorin and Bard are lost to me till I hear the words that I fear the most. I can see that all the dwarves have come down from the rampart. Fili has a hand on Kili's shoulder to keep him from coming forward. Dwalin is also looking a bit worried, with Aliena standing next to him.

"Be gone." Thorin yells out to Bard. "Let the arrows fly!"

"Thorin." I say softly to him.

"And you!" He yells at me. "How dare you speak on my behalf!"

"And just what do you think you are doing? You didn't even think or actively listen to what Bard was trying to tell you!" I scream at Thorin. "Thorin, war can be avoided if you would just give the people of Laketown what they are owed! And will you please let go of my arm! You're hurting me!"

Thorin lets go of my arm like it was a hot piece of metal. Oin moves quickly from the group and starts to check roll up the sleeve of my tunic. There on my arm, just below my elbow, is a dark red hand print. I hear a few of the dwarves gasp, but I lock my eyes onto Thorin's back as he walks away.

Bilbo is following after Thorin shouting words like war and out-numbered at him.

"You alright?" Bofur asks me from where he stands.

"Thank you all for your concern, but I am alright." I give the group of dwarves the best smile that I can.

"Papa hurt mommy." Aliena says in a snuffling tone, and everyone can see that she has tears running down her face. "Just like _he_ hurt us."

"No. Not like the other man." Dwalin says as he picks up Aliena and holds her to him as she cries into his shoulder.

"Thorin loves you and your mother." Balin says in an attempt to comfort Aliena.

"But why did he hurt mommy?" Aliena states through her tears.

"None of us will make excuses for Thorin's treatment of your mother, Aliena." Fili says. "But Thorin is not feeling well lately."

"Like when mommy gets sick?" Aliena asks Fili. Fili gets a faint blush on his cheeks, but it is Kili who saves the day.

"Similar, but it affects Thorin's head. Like when you fall and hit your head. You get a big ouch. It is kind of like that." Kili says with a cheeky grin. Gloin lets out a snort before him and some of the company leave.

"Here you are lass." Oin says as he finishes up putting a salve on the mark and begins to wrap a bandage over it. Once he completes his task he also leaves.

Now it is just Balin, Dwalin, Fili, Kili, Aliena and I left standing by the blocked entrance. I walk over to the stairs and sit down on one of them.

"You sure you are alright, Inara?" Fili asks as he makes his way over to me.

"A little shaken, but otherwise I am as healthy as I can be." I answer him.

"I think it is time we had a talk." Balin says as he also makes his way over towards me. "Dwalin has told me about _it_. I was shocked and disappointed that you didn't tell me the truth; but Fili and Kili explained to me some missing elements. You carry something truly precious indeed."

"Thank you Balin. I am truly sorry about not telling you sooner."

"It is alright. However, we do have an issue that needs to be resolved. At first I thought perhaps Fili would have to be the one to do it, but with this." Balin points towards my abdomen. "This changes everything. You, Inara, are now on the same level as Thorin. Your braids wouldn't have been enough, but since you carry, you are now the Queen of Erebor."

"What are you trying to say Balin? Speak plainly my friend."

"You can challenge Thorin's authority and there is nothing he can do about it." Fili says as he gets up. "Balin, if she does challenge Thorin, it would put my heir in danger. And yes, I acknowledge my uncle's child as my rightful heir."

Balin and Fili begin to argue over Fili's ability to claim the child I carry as his heir and it is too much for me to handle. I get up from where I am sitting and walk away from all of them. However, Kili is quick to follow me to ensure my safety. Dwalin keeps Aliena with him, knowing that I need some space.

Kili and I walk for an hour till I come across what appears to be a room with a lot of holes in the walls. I walk about the room till a noise catches my attention. A large eagle size black bird appears at the window.

"Hello." I say to the bird.

"These are the ravens of Erebor." Kili says with amazement in his voice. "Uncle used to talk about how they carried messages for the line of Durin."

The large raven looks at Kili then at me before flying over to land on my shoulder.

"It must know that you are carrying a child of the line of Durin." Kili says as the raven nips at my hair gently.

"I guess so. Hey my feather brother, will you do me a favor?" I ask the raven and the raven gives a little squawk. "Will you go find the King of the Sky Eagles, and ask him to be ready help fight the darkness that is coming to Erebor? Can you do that for me?"

"I don't think that the raven can understand you." Kili says before the raven shocks us both and flies out the window in a hurry. "I guess I might be mistaken."

We both laugh before leaving the raven nesting room. We make our way back to the wall and notice that no one is there. So Kili and I continue to wander around Erebor for hours; only stopping by the main galley to nick a few breads and what was left of the jerky meat from Bombur. As we walk we also can see Dwalin is trying to teach Aliena how to fight, using blunted weapons. Ori and Nori are watching them as well, and laughing when Dwalin allows Aliena to land a blow.

Once night fall hits, I join Bofur on his guard duty on the rampart. Kili leaves me at this point and goes to find Fili.

"So lass, know any good songs?" Bofur asks as we both look out towards Dale.

"I know a few."

"Well don't leave me wondering. Go ahead and sing a song."

I let out a chuckle before allowing myself to sing.

"_Clear blue water, high tide came and brought you in_

_And I could go on and on, on and on, and I will_

_Skies grew darker, currents swept you out again_

_And you were just gone and gone, gone and gone_

_In silent screams,_

_in wildest dreams_

_I never dreamed of this_

_This love is good, this love is bad_

_This love is alive back from the dead_

_These hands had to let it go free_

_And this love came back to me_

_Tossing, turning, struggled through the night with someone new_

_And I could go on and on, on and on_

_Lantern burning, flickered in my mind for only you_

_But you're still gone, gone, gone_

_Been losing grip,_

_oh, sinking ships_

_You showed up just in time_

_This love is good, this love is bad_

_This love is alive back from the dead_

_These hands had to let it go free_

_And this love came back to me_

_This love left a permanent mark_

_This love is glowing in the dark_

_These hands had to let it go free_

_And this love came back to me_

_This love, this love, this love, this love,_

_Your kiss, my cheek, I watched you leave_

_Your smile, my ghost, I fell to my knees_

_When you're young you just run_

_But you come back to what you need_

_This love is good, this love is bad_

_This love is alive back from the dead_

_These hands had to let it go free_

_And this love came back to me_

_This love left a permanent mark_

_This love is growing in the dark_

_These hands had to let it go free_

_And this love came back to me"_

Unannounced to me, the others had come to the gate to see who singing before being beckoned by Thorin to follow him to the armory.

"That was beautiful lass." Bofur says. "You should sing more often."

"Thank you Bofur." I let out a yawn. "Perhaps, I should go rest for a while. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Bofur replies back as I walk down the stairs and head towards the apartment. Halfway there, Dwalin stops me.

"Aliena is back in your apartment, asleep." He says to me.

"Thank you for watching her today." I go to leave, but Dwalin shoves something into my arms.

"This is for you lass. Since none of us can talk you out of fighting, I suggest you wear it."

I give Dwalin a confused look before I let the material to fall open in my hands.

"It is one of only a few mithril armors left. Thorin gave Bilbo one as well. It will make sure no blade can pierce your abdomen." Dwalin explains.

"Thank you, Dwalin." I give him a quick hug after wading up the shirt. "I am heading to bed soon, I suggest the other do as well."

"Aye. I will send Fili and Kili after they get their gear." Dwalin says as he walks back into the armory.

I continue on my way to the apartment and entering it. I set the mithril shirt down onto the table before walking over to the chair by the fireplace. Dwalin must have started the small fire in it, since it barely gives any light. I sit there, contemplating my next move for what feels like eternity. The opening of a door, brings me out of my ruminations.

"Inara. Shouldn't you have gone to bed?" Fili asks as the both him and Kili stand there with the armor, weapons, and shields in their arms.

Tears build in my eyes as quick flashes of their deaths dance in my mind. I never did witness their deaths, nor did my friends give any details about it. However, with all the movement in my belly I can only assume that the Valar or even Mahal himself, is giving me a glimpse of the near future. It becomes too much, and I fall to the floor sobbing.

Both Fili and Kili are quick to reach me, and pull me into a hug.

"Hey. It will be okay." Kili whispers to me, and I shake my head.

"But it won't. Both of you will be walking to your deaths tomorrow." I whimper to them. "And don't tell me you aren't because I just saw it. Promise me that you both will wear a mithril shirt tomorrow under your armor. Please."

"Of course." Fili replies as he and Kili pull me into a tighter hug. "Of course."

* * *

**So now they are preparing for war. I will be posting another chapter on Monday since there classes are cancelled.**

**Selene**


	17. The Drums of War

**Another chapter for you all. Sorry about it being late, but my best friend's mother passed away unexpectedly yesterday morning. So I spent the day keeping my best friend company. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit or its events or its characters.**

* * *

In the morning I find myself lying in bed with Fili on my left and Kili on my right. During the night, Aliena joined us, and I can see her snuggled up on Fili's chest. Aliena is wearing her sleep clothes; while Fili, Kili and I are still in our clothes from yesterday. My face is sore from crying so much late last night. The three of us decided to sleep in the same bed last night; I could not stop myself from letting out sob after sob last night and it scared the boys.

In no real hurry to move, I stay in bed to keep watch over the other three. A sense of foreboding is beginning to build deep inside, and I fear that everything the dwarves have fought for will come crashing down.

There is a knock at the main door that pulls my attention away from the fear. I slowly and carefully, remove myself from the bed. The knocking gets a little louder, as I make my way to the main door.

"About time lassie." Dwalin says to me as I open the door. "Thorin is in a mood today."

"When isn't he?" My voice sounds a little hoarse, and Dwalin raises an eyebrow at it.

"Well war will be upon us soon." Dwalin says to me as he sets down a basket onto the table. "You ready? It will not be a pretty sight."

"When is war without some kind of carnage? Blood, death, fear, screams of those who are dying and those that are still alive. That is what makes war so destructive." I give Dwalin a small smile as I reach into the basket and pull out a stale biscuit.

"Aye that it is. I wish you would rethink about joining us into battle. This isn't your fight or your battle."

I take a bite out of the stale biscuit and think about telling Dwalin what I saw last night. I swallow the lump of biscuit before speaking to Dwalin.

"I had some sort of vision late last night. I saw Fili and Kili's death. Or at least I think it was a possible death."

"Go on." Dwalin says as he looks at me with great interest.

"I saw Fili being held by the pale orc over the edge of a cliff. Then he is stabbed, before being tossed over the edge. Kili was stabbed as well, but by an orc I have never seen before. Dwalin, I can't let these things happen." Tears have once again filled my eyes, and I look down at the floor.

"It won't happen lass. None of us would allow either of the boys be captured." Dwalin says to me as he moves to embrace me. "They won't die."

I cry into Dwalin's shoulder before a soft, whispered voice tells me to find solitude and prayer. Pulling away from the embrace, I look about the room. "Did you hear that?"

"I didn't say anything lass." Dwalin says while giving me a confused look.

"Dwalin. Is there a holy place here in the mountain?" As I ask him this, my child starts to kick out wildly inside.

"There is. Why?"

My gut instinct kicks in, telling me to go to the place. "Can someone show me where it is?" I look at Dwalin and can see that he is a bit confused with my request.

"What do you plan to do?" He asks me.

"I plan to pray to the all of the Valar, the dwarven ancestors, and to my own ancestors. I shall ask them to help aid us in any way they can." I answer him.

"Very well. I will take you there myself." Dwalin says to me.

"Thank you. I will change quickly before we leave." I quickly head back towards my bedroom to change.

Both Fili and Kili have moved in their sleep. Aliena is now tucked between the two brothers; and one arm from each boy is laying across her in a protective manner. I quickly grab my mithril tunic, a black and silver trimmed over shirt, a black shirt, black pants, and my boots before leaving the bedroom. I quickly change in the bathroom, making sure to hide the mithril tunic under my shirt and over shirt. If only my friends could see me dressed like this. Alyssa would say that I look like Xena did during her pregnancy with her daughter Eve.

Combing my hair, I decide to wrap the two braids, which Thorin placed in my hair, around my head like a crown. I make sure that both of the beads are placed near my temples, so that they are easily seen. The rest of my hair, I do two braids and style them in an infinity symbol that I pin just above the crown braid. (Think Princess Leia head braids from Return of the Jedi during the battle of Endor.)

I come out of the bathroom and head to where Dwalin is waiting for me. He looks me over and gives me a nod before opening the main door for me.

He leads me around Erebor for a few minutes till we finally reach our destination. Dwalin opens the door to reveal a small hall like room. There are statues lined along the walls, and at the very end of the hall there is an altar of sorts. On the altar, there are two very large statues.

"I will leave you to it then." Dwalin says as he starts to leave.

"Can you bring Aliena to this place?" I ask him as I start to light the few remaining candles in the hall with some left over match sticks.

"Aye." Is all he says as he closes the door behind him.

After lighting all of the candles I move towards the altar with the two statues. As I move to kneel before them, the child within me squirms even more so. I place a hand on my small bump, and look down towards my hand.

"Take it easy in there. I don't need to become bruised before the battle." I say to my bump before looking back up to the statues. Closing my eyes, I begin to whisper my prayers. Unknown to me, the candles that are lit before the two statues begin to flicker, and the flames grow larger as continue my prayers.

Once I finish my prayers, I open my eyes and notice that the two candles are now smoking. As if the wind, or someone, blew them out. I take this as a good sign before standing up to leave the room. I leave the door open to the hall, and make my way towards the gate. I reach the entrance hall just as two voices call out to me.

"Inara!" Fili and Kili shout to me as they come running towards me. Both of them are dressed, ready for battle.

"Yes?" I ask them once they reach me.

"Thorin has called everyone to the gate." Fili says as he bends over to catch his breath.

"The elves have come." Kili gasps out as he too is trying to catch his breath.

"What did you two do? Run all over Erebor to try and find me?" I chuckle out as the two of them seem to be out of breath.

"You could say that." Kili answers before making his way towards the stairs.

As I make my way to follow him, I feel a hand grab my left arm. I turn to see it is Fili who is trying to hold me back.

"You should find cover. This is no place for you to be." He whispers to me. I can see the concerned look on his face.

"I will stand with my king, and with you all." I hear my voice say, yet I did not command my mouth to speak.

"As you wish."

I make my way up the stairs, and come to stand next to Thorin on the rampart. He looks over at me, and I turn to look at him. Our eyes lock, and for a moment I fear that Thorin is going to question me being there. However, he gives me a small nod before looking out to the sea of elves. I too, turn to look out at the army of elves that stand before our gate.

"Here."

I turn to see Dwalin to my right, holding out my weapon. Giving him a small smile, I reach out and take my weapon. I use both of my hands to hold it, with the hammer and axe side pointing towards Thorin.

"I see you have your own weapon." Thorin says with a hint of wonder.

I turn to see that he is now looking at my weapon like a child looks at candy. Giving a small chuckle I reply. "But of course. I wanted to have my own weapon. One that would make any weapons master envious."

Thorin looks up at me and gives a small chuckle. I give him a smile, which he returns. The clanking of armor pulls us out of your little moment, and draws our attention back to the elves.

Bard and Thranduil are approaching the gate, and I notice Kili handing Thorin a bow and arrow. Thorin quickly releases an arrow, and it lands before the feet of the great elk that Thranduil is riding. Both the elven king and Bard look up at us in surprise.

"I will put the next one between your eyes." Thorin says loudly as he draws back another arrow. All of the company, minus myself and Thorin, give a few cheers of encouragement.

I can see Thranduil give us a look of contempt, and the elven archers are quick to draw their bows. Everyone, but Thorin and I, quickly duck down at the possible volley of arrows that may come. Looking directly into Thranduil's face, I make sure to lock eyes with him. Only seconds into our glaring contest does he lift a hand; and the archers quickly lower their bows and put their arrows away. I break our glaring contest; and look towards Thorin. I remove my left hand from my weapon before gently placing it on his shoulder. Thorin lets out the breath that he was holding. I look back out towards Bard and Thranduil.

"We've come to tell you that payment of your debt has been offered and accepted." Thranduil says with a smirk on his face.

"What payment? I gave you nothing." Thorin shouts down to Bard and Thranduil. "You have nothing."

As I see Thranduil look towards Bard, my stomach drops in fear of what come. My child is also kicking away again inside of me, as if in warning of an impending doom. 'Please don't let it be what I think it to be.' I say in my mind. My hand that is on Thorin's shoulder grips the fur tightly.

"We have this." Bard says as he hold up the object that I feared it would be.

Thorin lowers the bow and arrow and just stares at the stone in Bard's hand. As Kili accuses them of being thieves and stealing the stone, I can hear Thorin's breath become heavy with anger.

"And the King may have it." Bard shouts back. "With our good will."

As Bard places the stone back into his coat, I look at Thorin; and see him struggling internally with what to do.

"But first, he must honor his word." Bard says with emphasis on the word honor.

I let go of the fur on Thorin's shoulder and step away from Thorin. Fili takes one of my hands, and places himself between Thorin and I. Balin places a hand on my shoulder as Bilbo speaks up.

"It is no trick. The stone is real." Bilbo says as he comes out from where he was standing. "I gave it to them."

"Bilbo." I whisper softly in shock as Thorin turns to look at Bilbo. "Please Mahal, don't allow Thorin to hurt him." Balin's grip on my shoulder tightens; as does Fili's grip on my hand. Both of them hearing my whispered plea.

"You." Thorin says with disbelief in his voice.

"I took it as my fourteenth share." Bilbo says to Thorin.

"You would steal from me?"

"Steal from you? No." Bilbo replies. "No. I may be a burglar, but I like to think that I am an honest one. I am willing to let it stand against my claim."

"Against your claim?" Thorin says to Bilbo. "Your claim. You have no claim over me you miserable rat."

"I was going to give it to you." Bilbo says with resolve in his voice. "Many times I wanted to but..."

"But what thief?"

"You have changed, Thorin. The dwarf I met in Bag End would never had gone back on his word. Would not doubt the loyalty of his kin. Would not harm his own queen and child!" Bilbo shouted at Thorin.

Fili, Balin, and I gasp at Bilbo's last word. However, I notice all of the dwarves, except Dwalin and Kili, don't seem to be phased by the word.

What Thorin says next, sends shivers down my spine, and causes my child to kick out so powerfully that I fall to my knees. Balin is quick to kneel down with me as I try hard to take deep breaths. I don't hear the rest of the words being said until I feel Fili's hand ripped away from mine. Looking up, I see Thorin about to grab Bilbo himself before I hear Gandalf's booming voice.

"If you do not like my burglar, then please don't damage him. Return him to me." Gandalf's voice echoes from where he is. "You are not making a splendid figure, as king under the mountain. Are you Thorin, son of Thrain."

Thorin still has Bilbo leaning over the edge of the rampart. The child inside of me stops moving as Thorin releases Bilbo from his grip.

"Are you alright?" I hear Balin ask me softly as Bofur quickly escorts Bilbo away from Thorin.

"I'm okay." I whisper back to Balin as he helps me back onto my feet. "Just shock from what Thorin was about to do." Balin gives me a look of nonbelief; so I give him a look that conveys not to question me.

"Are we resolved?" Bard shouts to Thorin. "The return of the Arkenstone for what was promised. Give us your answer. Will you have peace or war?"

All of us standing on the rampart look to Thorin just as two black ravens land on the stone. One chatters to Thorin; the other raven looks at me, and gives a bow while spreading his wings. That is when I hear the others gasp as Thorin gives his answer to Bard.

"I will have war."

The sound of metal clanking along with the sound of heavy footsteps echo across the valley. I look away from the bowing raven before me, and look to where the sounds are coming from. There at one of the ridges is an army marching down towards us. I look back at the raven. "Go. Quickly. Tell the eagles that the battle is about to start." The raven caws at me and is about to fly off when Thorin's raven nips at mine. However, mine lets out a very loud screech before flying off.

The dwarves are cheering loudly as their kin's army marches closer towards the elven army.

"Balin. Who is that?" I ask as I watch the mass of the metal army come to a stop.

"That, my queen, is Thorin's cousin Dain, lord of the Iron Hills." Balin answers with worry in his voice.

"Should I have fear of him?" I look Balin in the eyes, hoping that my eyes convey worry for my child and not myself.

Balin knows what I am asking. "I don't know."

Balin and I look out to watch the two armies face each other. As minutes pass, something starts to feel off. Like something is very wrong.

"Balin. Something is wrong. I don't know what, but something is coming. Something dark." I say as I begin to quickly scan the land. The child inside of me starts to beat around like it is fighting something.

"What is it?" Fili and Balin ask me just as a loud rumbling sound echoes through the valley.

"The darkness has come." Comes out of my mouth, but it is not my voice that says it. The voice is a blend of male and female voices. I feel a power surge through me as it merges with my soul. I feel every life of every elf, dwarf, and man with this power.

All of the dwarfs let out a gasp, including Thorin, as I turn to look at them. I have no idea what I look like to them, but I can see some fear mixed with awe in their faces.

The sound of rocks thudding onto the ground, and loud growls are heard. I turn to look towards the sounds and see giant worm like creatures sticking out from the slopes of a small ridge.

"They have arrived." The voice comes from me again.

"Inara? Who has arrived?" Kili asks from behind Thorin.

"Azog and the armies of Dol Guldur. They are here to kill us all. Every last man, elf, and dwarf." The voice answers back as a loud horn sound echoes through the valley. We all turn to look out towards where the worms just were to see rows upon rows of the enemy exiting the tunnels.

We all watch as Dain leads a portion of his troops to meet up with the enemy. Tears fill my eyes as I can feel and sense the coming of death. I look away from the impending fight, and close my eyes. Someone takes a hold of my free hand and gives it a squeeze.

"I am going over the wall. Who is coming with me?" Fili asks the others.

"Stand down." Thorin tells them as he walks downs the stairs.

"Are we to do nothing?" Fili asks Thorin.

"I said stand down." Thorin yells back as he continues to walk away.

"Inara. Do something." Fili says to me.

I feel a part of the power that is surging through me hum as I ask it to help the dwarves. A light, flowing hum answers back to the growled hum from before. "The elves will fight." The voice growls out from me.

Opening my eyes, I look out towards the elven army. A smile appears on my face as several rows of elves run to join up with the dwarves, who have created a wall with their shields. All hell has now broken loose on the battle field as both elves and dwarves fight against the first wave of orcs.

Quickly pulling my eyes away from the fighting, I look over towards Ravenhill then to Dale.

"He plans to attack the defenseless. Dale is sitting wide open for attack." My normal voice says in fear. "Bard must be warned." I let out a whistle and Thorin's raven comes towards me. "Warn the man Bard or even Gandalf the Grey of an attack upon the city. Do it now!" I yell at the raven before it gives me a nod and leaves.

Not even a minutes later, a horn is heard again and even more of the enemy is filing out of the tunnels. They are heading to the city, but not before I can see the men of Laketown arriving to Dale first. Looks like the raven has done his job, but it still doesn't feel like it is enough.

As each dwarf, elf, or man falls in death, I can feel the brief pain of it. As more and more fall, it becomes too much for me. I let my joined weapons fall to the ground, before bringing my right hand up to my heart. My legs give way, and Fili is quick to catch me. My breath is shallow and it is hard to breathe in as my chest tightens.

"Inara!" Fili, Kili, Balin, and the others shout at me.

My eye sight swims about; and soon my mind is filled with visions of each company member's death as I close my eyes. However, the power that is running through me sends visions of life instead. I see flashes of possible futures for them as the darker visions are soon pushed from my mind.

"You. Will. Not. Win." I hear the mixed voice say out loud and I feel the last of the darkness leave my soul as I let out a scream.

"What was that?" I hear Oin ask.

"That," I gasp out as I open my eyes to see Fili, Balin, and Kili looking down at me. "was darkness trying to defeat me. What it didn't realize is that I have friends in very high places."

"What does that mean?" Gloin asks.

"The darkness doesn't like that I am here. I am too much of a risk to its plan." I tell Gloin as Fili and Kili help me to stand up. "Where is Thorin?"

"He is in the throne room." Dwalin's voice says with sadness in it as he comes back from where ever he went to.

I let out a growl. "Then he shall answer to me. His illness is costing too many lives. Leave him to me, Dwalin." The dwarves all back away from me as I march down the stairs and head off towards the throne room. "Prepare yourselves for war!" I yell as I keep moving through the hall and turn the corner.

It doesn't take me long to find Thorin; however, he wasn't in the throne room. He is wandering aimlessly in the hall of the kings.

"You!" I shout to him as I approach.

He looks up at me with a mix of anger and confusion on his face. The look does nothing to sate my anger though. Once I get close enough I smack him across the face. The sound echoes in the hall.

"How dare you!" he growls at me as he moves to stand chest to chest with me.

"No Thorin. How dare you!" I yell down at him. "No true king of Durin's folk would care more about gold than the lives of his kin!"

"You will not speak to me so." Thorin yells at he pushes me away from him.

I am able to keep myself from falling to the ground, but seeing Thorin turn his back to me really pisses me off. So I charge at him and tackle him to the ground. We wrestle with each other on the floor, each trying to pin the other to the ground. I let out a few good punches and kicks until I somehow manage to pin him to the floor with me sitting on his stomach. The crown that was on his head has fallen off, and rolls across the floor.

"You will listen to me, Thorin Oakenshield." I shout to him as I try to keep hold of his wrists with my hands. "Are you so lost in your sickness that you would forsake your own people? Your own friends? Your own family? Your own wife? Your people are looking to you to lead them into battle. Yet you turn away like a coward. Is gold really that important to you?"

Thorin slows his struggling against my hold, and his eyes close shut. He is now fighting whatever demons are plaguing him internally.

I can feel a rough hum come from the power inside of me, and my child gives a soft thump against me. Doing what feels right I lean down and kiss him. I pour all of my feelings for him into the kiss, and also send a quick prayer to the higher powers.

It takes only a few seconds, before I feel the pressure on my lips in return. Thorin rolls us over so that my back is now on the floor. I allow him to deepen the kiss as I can now sense the darkness that has been haunting him leave. He breaks the kiss, and I can feel a small wet drop land on my face.

"Forgive me Inara?" Thorin whispers softly to me.

As I look up at his face, I can see the remorse and apology in his eyes. I grab the braid that hangs from the left side of his face and tug his face closer to mine.

"Only if you swear to let me fight by your side." I growl at him.

He lets out a soft chuckle before giving me a quick kiss. "So long as you keep beating some sense into me, athanu men."

"Always, my king." I reply with a smirk on my face. "Perhaps we should tell the others that it is time to go to battle. To right the wrongs that have been done."

Thorin sighs, and he moves off of me so that we can get up off of the floor. After getting up off of the floor, I start to brush any dust or dirt off of my clothes. Thorin watches me with a quizzical look on his face.

"Have you gained weight?" he asks me as he touches the open slit area of my over shirt.

"I don't think so." I lie to Thorin knowing full well if he were to know of our child, he might lock me away in a room. "My other clothes were tore up really bad, so I had to scrounge around for new clothes."

"Once this battle is won, you may purchase anything that you wish." Thorin says as me takes my hand to lead me from the hall of the kings.

Before we get to the entrance hall to the gate, I stop walking. Feeling the tug from my hand Thorin stops and turns to face me. I kneel before him and ask, "May I help you dress for battle?"

"Dress for battle?" Thorin asks me as he comes to kneel in front of me.

"It is a tradition from my grandparents' people, that the wife helps her husband dress for battle." I say to him with a slight blush creeping onto my cheeks.

"Is that what you wish? To dress me like a doll for battle?" Thorin says with a hint of laughter in his voice.

"It is considered a great honor to one's spouse."

Seeing my sincerity behind my motives, Thorin nods in agreement. "Very well, amrâlimê."

We make our way to the armory in a hurry, since we both know that there is a battle just outside the gates. Once we enter the armory, Thorin is quick to remove his over clothes before pushing me up against the armory wall for a quick romp.

"That is not what I had in mind." I tell him afterwards, while trying to catch my breath from one heck of a high.

"I have missed you these past two months." Thorin says as he gives my clothed shoulder a kiss.

"I've missed you too. How about we lock ourselves into our bedroom for several days after the battle is won." I say with a hint of laughter in my voice.

"I agree." Thorin backs away from me, and moves quickly to fix some of his out of place clothes.

We both move about the armory quickly pulling weapons, and some spare clothes out. I make quick work of helping Thorin dress. He refuses to wear any heavy armor, though I am able to talk him into wearing some form of long-sleeved chainmail shirt. Over top of it, I place a leather sleeveless jacket to finish his outfit.

Thorin helps me find something similar to what he is wearing. He helps me dress, and I keep the mithril tunic on underneath the outfit. The only real difference of our matching outfits is that mine is of a rich navy blue color with silver trim, where his is more like a soft black with some browns. Also his belt sits at his waist, as mine sits just under my bust. My pants are still the same black pants that I put on earlier that day; as are my boots.

"We are ready." Thorin says with a soft smile on his face. His eyes roam up and down my body with a look of awe and love in them.

"Not just yet." I say to Thorin as I walk over to my other set of clothes. I pull a few raven feathers from the pocket of my over shirt. "Another tradition." I say to him as I hold up the feathers.

Walking back over to him I hold two of the larger feathers out to him. "Let me place these in your hair?" I ask him.

"You may." Thorin says with awe, and I give him a smile.

I quickly tuck each feather into the end of his two main braids, and make sure that they are held in place.

"What of the other feathers?" Thorin asks me as he reaches out to stroke my braided hair crown.

I give him a smile before I take his hand and place the feathers onto his open palm. "If you wish, you may add them to my hair."

He gives me a nod, and I allow myself to sit on a chair so that Thorin may reach my hair. He releases all of my braids, including the ones he had placed in my hair. What he does next with my hair is something that I can never replicate myself. He does a thick but small size braid on either side of my face, and creates a loop with each braid. He clips the end of each braid up towards were each braid begins with the clips. (Kind of like Katara's hair loops from Avatar.) Then he sections the rest of my hair into four equal parts. The top two parts he braids all together into a thick braid and ties it off using a strip of leather. At the ends of the strips, he ties a feather. The rest of the hair he allows to stay free.

"You are now ready." Thorin says to me as he places a kiss onto the side of my neck. "All of Dain's forces will see that you are mine, and they will fight to protect you. As will Dain."

"Thank you." I stand up from the chair and turn to give Thorin a smile.

Thorin takes a hold of my hand and we both leave the armory. As we make our way towards the entrance hall, I let Thorin know of my slight sabotage of the fortification wall. He gives a slight chuckle, and we both agree with using a battering ram to bust down the wall.

As we approach the gate, hand in hand, I can see Kili get up from his spot.

"I will not hide behind a wall of stone as others fight our battles for us!" Kili yells at Thorin. "It is not in my blood Thorin."

I give Thorin's hand a tight squeeze before I let go of his hand. I continue to walk towards the others as Thorin comes to a stop in front of Kili.

"Inara?" Fili asks me softly, and I give him a big smile and a wink as I stop to stand next to him. Looking over at Thorin and Kili, I watch the rest unfold.

"No. It is not." Thorin says to Kili. "We are sons of Durin. And Durin's folk do not flee from a fight." Thorin places his head against Kili's in a silent moment of affection.

Thorin backs away from Kili and moves past him to come towards the others. "I do not have the right to ask this of any of you. But will you follow me? One last time."

"We will follow you, my king." I say before moving to kneel on the ground. The others follow my example and I can see the silent shock on Thorin's face.

"Let us prepare to meet our enemy." Thorin shouts to us, and we all cheer as we stand up.

Dwalin, Bombur, Bifur, Thorin, Gloin, and Nori move quickly to get something to use as a battering ram. Fili, Kili, Dori, Balin, and Ori move quickly to get ropes in place on the stone archways above to help with momentum. I send Bofur and Oin to go find Aliena and bring her to me. None of the dwarves question any of my or Thorin's orders.

It isn't long before Thorin and his group brings forth a golden bell from who knows where. Thorin and I stand together watching as the ropes and chains are being tied to the bell. Out of the corner of my eye, I see movement coming towards us.

"Mommy! Papa!" I hear Aliena's voice ring out as she runs towards us with a smile on her face.

Thorin moves from my side and Aliena practically throws herself into his waiting arms. He pulls her close to him and gives her a kiss at her temple. She hugs him with equal force and buries her face into his shoulder.

The company stops what they are doing and just watch the scene taking place.

"I have missed your face, Hôfukel." Thorin says to Aliena.

"Are you feeling better Papa?" Aliena asks him as she moves to look at his face.

"I am well. Your amad helped me get better." Thorin says her, which causes the whole company to let out a joint awww sound. "Get back to work!" Thorin yells to them, which only causes them all to snicker.

I walk over to Thorin and Aliena as the rest of the company moves about in preparation. You can hear the sounds of the battle from here, and a cold shiver runs down my spine.

"Thorin. We need to go and go now." I say to him with urgency. I look to Aliena then glance over to Dwalin. "Aliena, you need to go with Dwalin. He will take you somewhere safe till the fighting is over."

Aliena looks at me with a sad face, and her little sibling gives a soft jab from inside.

"I don't want to leave you." Aliena says to me.

"We know, Hôfukel. But we have to be sure that you are safe from harm. We can't fight knowing that something could hurt you." Thorin says to her softly. She nods her head before wiggling to be set down.

Once Thorin sets her onto the ground, she moves so that she can see all of the company. "You better protect mommy and papa! No hurts. They come back alive." She yells to the company, which kind of shocks them and myself. Aliena walks over to Dwalin before taking his hand. "Lead the way Uncle Dwalin."

Dwalin gives Thorin and me a look that clearly says he isn't happy about being called Uncle Dwalin. As the two of them leave the entrance, Fili and Kili bust out into laughter and the others aren't too far behind.

"She gets that from you." I say to Thorin as I walk over towards Fili and Kili to give them each a smack upside the head.

Thorin yells at the company to keep working, and everyone moves quickly to raise the bell off of the floor.

Dwalin returns just as the finishing ropes are tied to help hold the bell back a good distance. He gives Thorin and I a nod before joining the others in the formation that we plan to use. As Bombur blows into the overly large horn, Thorin pulls me to him to give me a quick kiss.

"Stay close to me." he whispers as Dwalin takes one of his axes to the rope that holds the bell back.

We all stay far enough back that when the bell hits the wall, none of us are hit by the flying debris. As the dust and debris settles a bit, we all charge out of the opening.

Thorin is in the lead spot, with me directly behind him. Fili and Kili are on either side of me, and the rest are behind us in squished V pattern. We keep running out towards the Iron Hills fighters and they part to let us through.

"To the King!" A red headed dwarf, who I assume is Dain, cries out to the fighters.

"And the Queen!" cries the members of the company as Dain and his fighters join us in formation.

Thorin lets out his battle cry, and I split my weapon into two as I join in the yelling of the dwarves. I force my feet to move a bit faster as I come alongside Thorin as we reach first line of our enemies. I swing both axe and hammer in quick, precise motions. Several of the orcs don't know what to make of me or my weapons.

During the fighting I lose track of Thorin, but not Fili and Kili. Those two are sticking close to each other and me. Our company and some of Dain's fighter have broken a hole into the force wave of orcs. It is a short lived win for us as the second wave of orcs move in.

From a distance I hear Thorin call out for Dain and Dain answer in return. I keep fighting the orcs that come towards Fili, Kili, and myself. I chance a quick look to see Dain and Thorin fight side by side. An orc takes advantage my little mistake, and hits me with his arm across left side of my body. I go flying through the air and land a good couple feet away from the boys.

Upon impact I let out a gasp as I roll to my back. A jolt of pain rips through my abdomen, but I hold back a cry of pain as an orc stands over me.

"Inara!" Fili shouts from where he is currently fighting two orcs.

I look up to see the orc and as he brings his weapon down to kill I pull both of my weapons into a X block. The orc growls and pulls back his weapon in another attempt to strike. However, he doesn't get a chance as both Kili and Fili attack him from the side and behind.

I quickly use my elbows and shimmy myself away as Fili finishes off the orc. Kili is quick to help me up from under my arms.

"Are you and our little cousin alright?" Kili asks as I get myself back on my feet.

"Yeah, we're fine. Where is Thorin?" I ask quickly before blocking a blow that was meant for Kili. We both make quick work of killing the orc.

I look around again, and I see Thorin and Dain still fighting off orcs. Seeing that Kili and Fili are now both busy with fighting more orcs, I decide to make my way towards Thorin. Taking down any orc that crosses my path, I am only a few yards away before I notice a pair of orcs moving towards Thorin.

"I don't think so, you bastards." I growl to myself as I start to charge forwards. Using one of the dead orcs laying on the ground, I run towards it, and use it as a ramp before jumping into the air.

I let out one of the many Huron battle cries, before landing into a somersault on the ground next to Dain and Thorin. As I come out of it, I let my axe fly through the air and hit one of the orcs. I charge at the other, swinging my hammer in an upwards manner taking the orcs head clean off of its body.

"Who is that?" I hear Dain ask Thorin as I walk over to pull my axe out of the dead orc's body.

"That would be my yâsith." Thorin answers Dain with pride in his voice.

I turn to look at both of them, knowing that I have orc blood splattered across my face. Walking over to them I hear a horn being blown from behind me. I turn to look for the source and find that on top of Ravenhill is the leader of our enemy's army.

"Azog." Thorin growls out as he makes his way to stand next to me.

"We have to take him out." Says the mixed voice from my mouth. I feel the energy surge even stronger inside of me.

"Agreed." Thorin says to me. "Dain. I need to take that out their leader."

It isn't long till a battle ram is brought to Thorin and he climb up onto its back. As I go to climb up as well, Thorin stops me.

"Not you. You stay here with Dain. He will look after you." Is all Thorin says to me as the ram charges away.

"Not in your life pal." I growl out and Dain shrinks back from me with fear. "I need a ram! Now!" I yell at him.

"You all heard the queen. Give her a ram." Dain shouts as another battle ram comes out from behind the dwarven ranks.

I jump onto it and spur it into a run. Not too far ahead of me I can see Kili, Fili, and Dwalin climbing onto other battle rams in an attempt to follow Thorin. They head towards Ravenhill following a path that is closer to them.

I decide to take a different approach and head to the main part of the broken buildings. As I fight my way through the orcs, a raven caws from above me before flying towards a possible slope for my ram to climb. Spurring my ram towards the slope it charges forwards and begins to climb. I can only hope that I can make it to the top before anyone dies.

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**An extremely long chapter in apology for not posting yesterday. I do hope you all enjoy it as much as I do.**

**The next chapter will focus on the events of Ravenhill.**

**Selene**


	18. Ravenhill

**I can't believe that my story is almost done. There are only a few chapters left before it is complete. I will be so sad to see it come to an end. Hold on tight, because this is going to be a bumpy ride. Also, there will finally be some explanations about certain things.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit or its characters or its events.**

* * *

My battle ram only gets me so far up the outpost. As the animal comes to a stop panting for breath, I climb down from its back. I seem to be on a ledge near some stairs. I walk around quietly on the ledge till I can see the outline of the other part of the outpost across the frozen river. Walking back to the ram, I give it a quick pat on between its eyes before pulling a set of throwing knives from one of the saddle's pockets.

"You have done your duty. I thank you my friend, but I suggest you get as far from here as possible." I say to the ram as I stash away the knives into my boots. I quickly put my axe and hammer together into one weapon.

The ram lets out a soft huff, and scraps one of the front hooves on the rock. I give it a push, but the ram refuses to leave my side. Getting a little frustrated with the stubborn animal, I begin to quietly walk up the stairs. However, I hear the click of a few hooves behind me.

"You have to be very quiet if you are to come with me. I can't be found by the orcs." I tell the ram before continuing on up the stairs.

Eventually, the ram and I reach the end of the outside staircases. I refuse to go inside of the outpost's tower to use the stairs within. Looking around the broken walls, I figure that I will use the outside corners of the walls to 'free climb' my way up. As I begin to walk towards the corner I hear quick, heavy footsteps coming from inside of the tower. I duck behind a large piece of the tower's top parts that lays on the ground. The ram is nowhere to be seen, thank goodness.

With my back pressed against the piece of rock, I inch my head slowly to look around it. There is an opening in the wall, and I can see stairs inside. But that is not the only thing I can see. There is a group of orcs, and I can see Fili being dragged up the stairs.

"Oh Mahal. Not Fili." I whisper very quietly to myself. Backing my head away from where it was I take a few deep breaths to calm myself. As the sound of the footsteps disappear, I look again towards the opening in the wall. Seeing that there is nothing there, I quickly make my way to the corner of the tower. Knowing that I will be needing both hands for the climb, I slide my weapon along my spine using my belt as a harness for it.

Once I am certain that my weapon is securely attached, I begin to my climb up the tower. It doesn't take me long to get to the broken top of the tower's top floor. I pull myself up alongside of the wall, and seeing that the wall has a very thick edge, I decide to tiptoe my way to get into a better position.

I hear the loud thudding of several footsteps from behind the wall where I am on the left side of the tower's top floor. I peek around one of the square outcropping corner pillars. About 10 feet from where I am, I see what I had been hoping to stop. Fili is being dragged, by Azog, towards the edge of the tower's top most floor. Once at the edge, Azog lifts Fili by the back of the neck and holds him out over the edge.

I feel my anger begin to rise, and I quietly manage to slide my weapon from its spot. Splitting the weapon into the axe and hammer, I put the axe back into place along my spine again. Holding the hammer in my hand I slide myself quietly along the square corner pillar, and pull back my arm that has my hammer.

"Run!" I hear Fili shout, and before Azog can stab him, I send my hammer flying through the air. The hammer hits Azog right where the jagged metal piece sticks out behind where his elbow would be. However, the jagged blade does cut into Fili's shoulder before Azog drops him in surprise.

As Fili falls from Azog's grip, I charge out from my hiding spot while pulling out my axe. Even though Azog is my primary target, the other orcs come at me. Before any orc can even swing their weapons at me, the battle ram that had been with me comes charging out of nowhere. It knocks a few of the orcs away as I charge at Azog with my axe.

The pale orc doesn't seem to know what to do other than block my blows with his armored cover hand. It would appear that my hammer may have dislocated his shoulder. As I keep trying to delivery blow after blow, I hear my ram give out a painful bleat. I glace out of the corner of my eye towards the dead ram, and being slightly distracted gives Azog the opening he was looking for.

I feel a shot of pain emanate from my right hip, area as I am sent over the edge. Feeling the air rush past my body is sort of surreal, till I land on something soft yet hard beneath my back. I know that I am not dead, because I can still feel the pain from my hip and now my back. Only a few short feet away from me, I hear my axe land on the ground with a metallic clunk.

"As lovely as it is to have you laying on top of us; Inara can you please get off of us?" I hear Kili's voice from my left shoulder area.

I let out a groan as I roll off of him and onto the snow covered ground. Landing on my back, I let out a growl as pain shoots up from the right side of my hip. I close my eyes and reach out to touch where the pain is. But my hands bump into another set of hands. Someone else is checking my right hip.

"Second time today that someone had to use me as a personal landing mat." Kili says in a huff as he gets up off of the ground. "Is she alright, Fili?"

I open my eyes to see that Fili is alive and currently checking my hip. "Fili. You're alive."

Fili looks up towards my face before answering. "Thanks to you I am alive. The only injury I have is a cut to my shoulder. You, however, may have a busted hip bone. Why did you have to go and put yourself, and my heir, in danger? I am wearing a mithril vest like you asked."

"Sorry, but I couldn't risk it." I answer back to Fili.

"As nice as it is to catch up, we need to get out of here." Kili says in a hurried tone. "More orcs are coming down, and we need to get back to Thorin." He walk over to where my axe is and picks it up.

Fili helps me to my feet, and we begin a slow descent down the tower. What orcs we run into on the way down, Fili and Kili are quick to kill. Before we can even reach the bottom more orcs appear and surround us.

"All for one and one for all?" I say to the boys. Kili discreetly hand me my axe, as the three of us stand nearly back to back with each other.

"When this is over with, you have got to teach me how to use your axe." Kili says as he keeps a close eye on the orcs.

"Can we just make it out of here alive first, before you two go planning for the future?" Fili growls out to both Kili and I.

From a distance I can hear Thorin call out for each of us, but a loud roar echoes through the ruins. With that roar the orcs attack us and we fight together. Both Fili and Kili take turn to keep any orcs from trying to split us apart; while I at just cutting away at any orc that gets close.

The orcs keep pressing towards us and we have to create a tighter formation. Just when I think that this is it, the red haired elf appears out of nowhere. With her here, the orcs are soon defeated.

"Tauriel!" Kili shouts as he runs up to her. "What are you doing here?"

"There is an army of orcs being led by Bolg coming this way." She answers. "I suggest we move."

"I agree. We need to get the hell out of here." I growl out as another pain comes from my hip.

"Are you injured?" Tauriel asks me as she walks over to me.

"Not bad. Just a bruised hip bone." I say to her as she gently touches my right hip bone.

"More like a possible fracture or broken bone." Fili says with an angry tone.

"Oh just shut up Fili." I growl out as Tauriel presses a little harder on my hip.

"He may be right. You need a healer and fast. If it is a broken bone, it will need to be set back into place." She says to me.

Before I can give Tauriel or Fili a piece of my mind, I hear Thorin's voice echo through the ruins. Hearing the clanging of metal upon metal spurs me into action. As I run towards a door way that will hopefully lead me towards Thorin, something large and heavy sends me flying backwards. My body rolls across the floor, and I can hear the boys shout for me. Once I come to a complete stop, I look up to see something big and ugly looking down towards at me.

"Oh shit. You have got to be joking." I growl out as I get to my feet.

"We can handle this." Kili says from behind me.

"You sure?" I ask him without looking back at him.

"Two dwarves and one elf. Three against one." Fili says as he moves in front of me.

"Go." Tauriel shouts as she and Kili charge at the massive orc.

I quickly grab Fili's arm before saying, "Watch for an opening. This orc may try to use Tauriel against Kili. If he does, stab the damn orc in the neck from up above." Fili gives me a nod before I run past the fighting.

I quickly make my way through the ruins, looking for Thorin. It is very painful to run, but I ignore the pain as much as I can. Reaching an open area at the base the set of stairs that I just ran down, I look out to the frozen river. Azog is just standing there, like he is waiting for something. I follow his line of sight to see Thorin standing down river.

"Thorin." I whisper to myself. I am still too far away to be of any help, but that doesn't stop me. As I continue to move through the ruins, and down a set of stairs; I feel the humming of power become strong within me. I allow it to take over, and all of my pain disappears. My feet move faster, and any goblin or orc that gets in my way is cut down quickly.

Finally I reach the end of all the stairs, but find that a group of goblins are waiting for me.

"Let the games begin." I sneer before charging straight at them.

My axe swing out, hitting the first goblin. A blade swing down towards me and I am quick to move out of the way. With extra force behind it, I swing my axe killing two more goblins. My movements in battle are flawless. With the extra strength behind the swinging of my axe, many of the goblins are dead in a matter of seconds. The few that are still alive, run away from the fight.

As I stand over my last kill, I can hear the smashing of ice coming from the river. "Thorin." Is all I can say and I move quickly down the last of the ruins on this side of the river. I finally step out onto the river and search for Thorin. Down river, I can see Thorin rolling along the ice in an attempt to stay clear of Azog's attacks. I have no idea how I ended up so far up river from them. Slowly and very carefully, I make my way towards them while walking on the ice.

When I am halfway to them, I see the eagles come out of the clouds. They fly past Thorin and Azog heading past me as well. I turn follow where they are flying to, and see a massive army coming from over a hill. I watch with awe as the eagles swoop down to attack, and it looks like even Beorn has joined the fight in his bear form.

The clanging of a sword dropping causes me to look back towards Thorin and Azog. I watch with fascination as Thorin steps off of a floating chunk of ice. The piece of ice under Azog dips below the water, forcing Azog to slide down into the water. With Azog no longer there, Thorin bends down to retrieve his sword.

"Thorin!" I shout as he slowly stands back up, and looks directly at me. I force myself to move quickly down the river of ice to reach him.

As I get closer to Thorin, there busted pieces of ice bits floating in the water between us. I start to go around them when something beneath the ice catches my eyes. Floating underneath the ice is Azog, and his eyes open. Thorin looks down to see what I am looking at. I make direct eye contact with the beast and can see that he is not dead.

Thorin follows Azog's body as if in a trance like state. I run over the ice to get to Thorin, but it is too late. A blade pierces up through the ice and into Thorin's foot. Thorin lets out a bellowed cry as the ice cracks from beneath his feet. He is sent flying into the air as Azog jumps up from beneath the ice.

"No!" I scream as I come to stand over Thorin. Using my axe, I block Azog's blow from hitting myself or Thorin. Not giving Azog any kind of time, I unleash my full fury of attacks on him. He keeps blocking my attacks but I don't care. I don't plan on landing any kind of blows. My plan is to keep Azog backing away from me till he falls over the side of the frozen waterfall.

"Inara!" I hear Thorin yell from behind me. Leave it to the stubborn dwarf, to try and come to my aid while injured.

I keep up my assault on Azog, but something changes in his ugly face. He charges at me instead, and now it is I who has to block every blow. Unlike Azog, I don't give up any ground. He swings out wildly with his bladed arm, which forces me to turn to the right to block it. That is when the bastard spins and uses a fist to hit me in the ribs.

The force of the blow sends me to the ground in sheet agony. I close my eyes waiting for the death blow, but it doesn't come. Instead Thorin body slams into Azog, causing the two of them to move even closer towards the edge. The two of them battle it out some more, but I can tell Thorin is losing strength. I can see the bloody foot print from the wounded foot of his.

It is becoming harder for me to breath, and I come to a realization. One of my broken ribs has punctured my lung. I lay there on my stomach not wanting to move; but the movement in my abdomen is enough to give me the last bit of strength I need. Closing my eyes I give a silent plea to the higher powers that be, to allow me one last chance to end this battle. In response to my plea, I feel the multiple varieties of hums surge through my body. I can no longer feel pain again, as a surge of adrenaline courses through me.

My gets up off of the frozen ground, and stand tall with pride. Turning around, I see that Thorin is laying on the ground using Orcrist in a defensive block. Azog is pressing his blade down, and it is inching closer and closer to Thorin's chest. Seeing Thorin in such a helpless manner causes my temper to flare, and I allow myself to go into a berserker mode.

I charge towards Azog and let out a battle cry, "Baruk-Khazâd!" as I swing my axe at his back. The blade slices into his back, and I can feel it clip his spine.

Azog cries out in pain and pulls away from Thorin. Seeing his chance Thorin jabs Orcrist into Azog's armor, but into the beast belly instead of its chest. Azog howls in agony from the blows, but with the pain he may find resolve to kill Thorin. However, it isn't Thorin that Azog goes for. Instead the white beast twists and reaches out to grab me.

I step back to attempt to steer clear of his hand. I move to the left and quickly step back a few steps. Azog isn't willing to let me out of his sight. I swing my axe at him in a vain attempt to drive him off, but it doesn't work. Swinging out again, I hope that this time my axe may slice his hand. What I wasn't counting on was the bloody bastard grabbing the blade with his hand.

He rips my axe out of my hands and tosses it away before charging at me. His hand grabs me at my throat and lifts me off of the ground before I even have a chance to fight back. My hands move quickly to try to peel his hand away, but his grip is too strong.

"Inara!" Thorin cries out as he jumps onto the pale orc's back. He attempts to try and reach for Orcrist that is still in Azog's belly. Azog feeling the dwarf on his back spins himself with enough momentum to send Thorin flying.

The white beast sniffs towards me, and get a smirk on his face. With the jagged blade, he moves some of my top and jacket away from my abdomen.

"No." I gasp out as I attempt to squirm my body away from his blade.

His smirk get even bigger, and he presses the tip of the jagged blade up against where my child is. He turns his head, and yells something out to Thorin in his nasty sounding language.

With both of my hands holding onto the massive wrist, the only things I can use against Azog is my legs. But with the blade pressed against my stomach, I don't dare try to kick out.

"Inara!" Fili and Kili's voices ring out from somewhere.

Hearing the other dwarves calling out for me, Azog pulls the blade back and then stabs at me with it. The blade bounces off of me, but the force of the blow sends me out of Azog's hand. Only a few feet away from Azog I land on my back, and I try to catch my breath. However, seeing the confusion and rage on Azog's face is enough to force me to get up. I pull the hidden throwing knives from my boots. He's standing so close to the edge, that with enough force I could send him over it. With as much energy as I can muster, I charge at Azog one last time.

As I get close to him, I ram one of the knives into the ribs with my right hand. Before I can deliver another blow, he thrusts that jagged blade down. It lands near the back of my collar bone on the right side; and runs down my back underneath the mithril tunic. I shriek as I feel the blade scrap along the bones in its path.

"No!" I hear cry out from three different sources.

I am now gasping even harder for breath, and the pale orc says something to me in his nasty language. I don't have to understand the words, but the meaning is quite clear. He wants Thorin to witness my death. Two can play that game. With the last of my strength I jab the other throwing knife, using my left hand, up into the underside of his jaw area. Then I use my legs and propel both of us over the edge of the waterfall.

As we free fall towards the ground, I find myself looking up towards the sky. That is when I see the king of the sky dive out of the clouds. Just as I am getting closer to hitting the ground he reaches me, and with his claws wrapped around me, spreads his wings to slow down. Feeling Azog's blade rip through my skin lets me know that the bastard will be meeting his end soon.

I can feel the surging power leave my body, and all of the pain hits me like a freight train. I no longer fight death. As I take my last breath I hear the loud thud of Azog's body hitting the ground.

I always thought the afterlife sounded like a nice place to be. There is a bright, warm firelight surrounding me for a short amount of time before it dies out. As my eyes adjust to the loss of the bright light, I can see that I am in a softly lit room. I seem to be laying on some kind of circular table, butt naked. If this is the afterlife, then I want no part of it.

"So she has arrived." Comes a voice out of nowhere.

I quickly sit up and try to cover myself. I look over to where the voice came from and see a sandy blonde looking dwarf standing in an archway. He is wearing bloodied up armor with a dark blue leather jacket over it.

"Who are you, and where am I?" I ask the smiling dwarf.

"I am surprised that my brother didn't tell you about me." he says as he makes his way over to the table. "My name is Frerin and I died long ago. Thorin is my older brother."

"You look like Fili though."

"Well, my nephew does look like me, but the lad favors his adad more than I."

"Frerin! Quit scaring the poor lass." Comes another voice from the archway. This dwarf has long dark hair, deep blue eyes, and has an important air about him.

"Come now Durin. I was only talking to her." Frerin says before giving me a wink.

The dwarf called Durin moves closer to where I am at. He looks me up and down before letting out a hum of approval. "Not much to you lass. Why my descendent would choose you as his yâsith is beyond me."

"What a minute. Your descendent? As in you are Thorin's ancestor." I ask the dwarf called Durin.

"Yes, I am Thorin's ancestor." Durin responds. "Mahal has been watching over you since your spirit was first born in Middle Earth."

"Hold on. You mean to tell me that I am from Middle Earth?"

"Well not you pur-say." Frerin says to me. "Do you know of reincarnation?"

"Yes."

"Well, let's just say that your spirit was born here first." Frerin says before Durin takes over the explanation.

"Your spirit was originally born to the Firebeards clan. Their clan leader's family never had females, yet you were born to the leader's sole heir. The seventh child, but the only female. Seeing a chance, the Firebeards leader sent out emissaries to the Longbeards clan leader, Thror. It was arranged that you and his grandson, Thorin, would be wed when you were old enough." Durin explains.

"My brother was ten years older than you were." Frerin says to me as he moves to sit next to me.

"But what happened?" I ask them.

"Darkness happened." Comes another voice from the archway.

"Ah yes, and here comes your father-in-law." Frerin whispers to me as the one eyed, grey haired dwarf approaches.

"The Firebeards kingdom was attacked by orcs. The darkness knew that if you were to wed Thorin, then Sauron could not gain Erebor as a strong hold. So the darkness got rid of you as a threat. A few days before the celebration of your first birthday was when the attack happened." Thrain explains to me. "When I arrived with Thror's gifts, it was already too late. The orcs hung your father, mother, and brothers bodies from the ramparts of the gate. Your body was nailed to the doors of your city."

"But what the darkness didn't realize was that Mahal sent your spirit to another world to be reborn." Durin says as he begins to pace back and forth.

"So you are telling me that I am the reincarnation of Thorin's betrothed? Is that why he seemed so interested in me when I first came to Middle Earth?" I ask the three dwarves.

"It may be possible that your souls recognized each other as each other's one." Frerin replies.

"Or that your souls knew of the previous betrothal and used that to bring you together." Thrain says before Durin lets out a growl.

"Enough of the speculations. She needs to go back! If she continues to stay here, then the both of us are dead." Durin yells at the other two.

"Hang on. What do you mean both of us?" I ask with curiosity.

"He is talking about your pregnancy." Frerin says. "Personally, I can't wait to be reborn as my brother's son."

"What!"

"Frerin it isn't just you that she carries. She is carrying my reincarnation as well." Durin says.

"Are you fucking kidding me? Are you saying that I am carrying you two. As in twins."

"Yeah." Frerin answers me in a 'duh' kind of tone. "Why else could you feel us moving about so much? Of course, his royal highness over there caused you the most grief. The idiot couldn't stand still when he could hear the sounds of fighting going on."

"But how long do I have till you two are born? Because I am only supposed to be almost four months pregnant. Yet my stomach is already looking about six months pregnant. The only good thing was that it only looks like I have been gaining weight versus actually having a large noticeable belly."

"We can't give you an exact date, but in the next month or so our presence will be noticeable. However, it is very rare for a human to carry a dwarf's child." Frerin says.

"Then who can I blame for gifting this onto me, because I was never meant to have any more children after Aliena."

"You can thank Mahal for that one. When you sent your plea to protect Thorin there on the cliff, Mahal was the one who took over your body. He was also the one to heal your internal wounds in this particular situation." Durin answers in an agitated voice. "Now that everything has been explained can we please send her back!"

"Yes please. I want to be able to see my daughter again." I reply with a few tears running down my cheek.

"Alright you two. You know what to do." Thrain says to Durin and Frerin. Both dwarves reach out and touch my abdomen before disappearing.

"What was that?" I ask Thrain.

"That my dear was them returning to life. Now it is your turn." He says to me he touches where my heart is at and everything goes black once again.

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**Shocker! My English instructor was the one who helped me come up with the whole "afterlife" thing so please don't judge.**

**Next chapter sees Inara come back to life, and everyone having to deal with the aftermath of the battle. Also Thorin finally finds out about the pregnancy.**

**Selene**


	19. The Aftermath of Battle and New Politics

**Sorry about the late update. Life has been very chaotic lately. Thank you to all the reviewers, followers, and random readers of this story. Without all of your support, I don't think that I could have gotten this far. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit or its events or its characters.**

* * *

The feeling of my lungs being on fire is the first thing that reminds me that I am alive. Several violent coughs shake through my body, and then there are several hands moving my body onto the right side. The ground underneath my body is still as cold as ice, which means I am back on the frozen river.

"Inara! Come on! Keep breathing!" I can hear Fili shout from somewhere near my head. He sounds panicked; so I try to make a sound so he knows that I am alive.

"Ow." I respond with a groan. It takes most of my strength just to make that sound.

"She's alive!" Kili's voice rings out from behind me. I feel hands moving across my back, and when a hand finds the wound on my shoulder I let out a scream.

I try to move my arms, but they refuse to go after the hand that is pressing on the wound. So I attempt to open my eyes, but it is no use. My exhausted body refuses to obey me, and I faint.

The next time I wake up, something feels different. It is warmer, and I can hear the sounds of movement. My eyes finally open, and all I can see is the tan inside roof of a tent. From what I can gather I am laying on some kind of cot; and several blankets are rolled up alongside of my body. There is a thick fur blanket that is laying over top of me as well. Pushing the fur blanket down to my waist, I let out a small groan before turning my head to the left.

Sitting there on a small stool is Dwalin with Aliena in his lap. Both of them are fast asleep with a blanket laying across them. Seeing such a burly warrior holding a small child in such a tender moment is enough to make anyone want to smile. Hearing a small sound of ruffling blankets pulls my attention away from the adorable scene. I turn my head to the right I see that Thorin is sitting up in his cot, and he is staring right at me.

"You're awake." Thorin whispers to me. A wrapped bandage covers most of his forehead, and his hair is matted down from it. His left wrist up to his elbow is also bandaged. Thorin has been stripped down to just a tunic from what I can see. As he attempts to haul himself from the cot, I can see that his right foot has also has a bandage. Thank Mahal that he is still wearing pants or I might just lose my wits.

"You should be resting as well." My voice is hoarse from the lack of use.

"It doesn't matter. I have rested long enough these past four days." Thorin replies as he hobbles over to where I am.

I move a little to the left so that there is room for Thorin to sit. "How long have I been out of it?"

Thorin gently sits down, facing me, the best he can on my cot. His injured foot rests across his left knee. "For five days." His eyes start to mist over with unshed tears. "I thought you dead when you and Azog went over the edge. If it wasn't for the lord of the eagles, I would have followed you. Why did you do interfere?"

"Thorin." I reach out and grab one of his hands with mine. "I saw that you were about to give in, and allow Azog to stab you. A blow like that would have been fatal. I couldn't allow you or the boys to die." I start to cough from the dryness of my throat.

Thorin removes his hand from mine, and reaches down to get something from the ground. As he moves back to sitting up, I can see a small cup is in his hand. "Here, drink. Your throat will turn raw if you keep speaking."

He helps me lean up from the pillow that my head, and shoulders have been resting on. I take a few little sips after I use my elbows to help lift me up. Once I have had enough of the cool water, I lower myself back down onto the pillow.

"How are Fili and Kili?" I ask Thorin as he places the cup back down onto the ground.

"Fili has a cut from where Azog's blade missed the mithril tunic he was wearing. He also has a cut across his right eye from his battle with Bolg. Thank Mahal, that Fili didn't lose his eye sight. Kili has even more injuries. His right arm was dislocated, and he is lucky that his chest bone wasn't destroyed when Bolg tried to stab him. If it wasn't for you telling them to wear mithril vests, then they would both be dead."

"I am happy that they actually listened to me for once." I say to Thorin. We both smile at each other before Thorin gets a serious look on his face. "What is it?"

"When were you going to tell me?"

Knowing where this is possibly going, I close my eyes and take a deep breath. "Tell you what?"

I feel a hand come to rest on my abdomen and cup the small bump that is there. So I open my eyes to see Thorin looking at his hand that is laying over where our child rests.

"You had said that you would never be able to have another child. Yet, here is the proof in front of my own eyes. Then you went and put this child's life in danger by going into battle." Thorin whispers with a cold tone to his voice.

I place a hand over his before speaking to him. "If you think that I lied to anyone about not being able to have a child, I will let you know that I didn't. This surprised me, just as much as it is now surprising you."

"Then how is this possible?" Thorin growls at me.

"Perhaps you should ask Mahal that question." Thorin looks at me with disbelief in his eyes. "When I died, or thought I died, I just so happened to meet some interesting people in the afterlife. They told me that during my first encounter with Azog, that Mahal took over my body. Somehow he fixed the damage that would keep me from having a child." I truly didn't want to tell Thorin that I met his brother, father, and that other one in the afterlife.

"So you are telling me that Mahal has truly blessed us with a child of our own." Thorin asks as his eyes lose their anger and disbelief.

I nod my head in an affirmative manner, too afraid to speak.

"Inara. I find this all hard to believe, yet I will not question it." Thorin says finally.

Our child decides at that moment to give a large thump against our hands. Thorin's face morphs into one of fascination and awe. I let out a little giggle before another thump hits the same spot.

"I think someone is happy to hear your voice." I say to Thorin with a smile on my face.

He bends his head down towards where our hands are. He whispers softly to our child in the dwarven language, and we both feel the thumps of our child.

We are so lost in our own little world that neither of us notice the door to the tent opening up.

"Just what do you think you are doing laddie?" Oin shouts loud enough that it startles both Dwalin and Aliena out of their slumber. He stomps his way over to us before yelling some more at Thorin. "You should know better than to walk on that foot of yours."

As Thorin and Oin start to argue over said foot, Aliena quickly climbs out of Dwalin's arms.

"Mommy, are you okay now?" Aliena asks me as she climbs onto my cot.

I allow her to snuggle into my arms before I answer her. "I am now sweetie."

"The lass was worried something fierce for you, Inara. As we all have been." Dwalin says as he gets up from the chair.

"Thank you for watching out for her, Dwalin."

"Not a problem. She hasn't left your side since I brought her out of the mountain. Fili and Kili suggested that it would be a good idea for you and her to be together." Dwalin stretches out his back before starting to walk away.

"Where are you going?" I ask Dwalin.

"To let everyone know that you are awake." He answers before leaving the tent.

"I missed you mommy." Aliena says to me as she burrows herself even closer to me. "Promise me you won't ever leave me again."

I hear Thorin and Oin chuckle from the other side of my cot. "I promise." I tell her as I give her a kiss on the forehead.

It takes three days before Oin will allow me out of my jail that is the cot and tent. During those days, most of the company stops by to visit for a little bit. The only ones who are around a lot is Balin, Dwalin, and Oin. Since Thorin and I are sharing a tent, at his request not mine, Dain has been coming in as well. It isn't lost on Dain that Thorin and I are together, and that I am carrying Thorin's child. Dain won't say it out right, but I think he is irritated by our child.

One of the women of Laketown had delivered some clothes for Aliena and I yesterday. Not to waste the kind gesture, I decided to wear the light brown skirt, vest, and cream colored blouse. Aliena is wearing a dark blue skirt, vest, and a black shirt. Both of us are using folded blankets as coats till we can get inside of the mountain.

Now that I am free of my confines, I find myself walking with Balin along the road that leads back to the mountain. He had been instructed by Thorin to see myself and Aliena back to Erebor, and being the gentleman Balin is has seen to it to offer me his arm in escort. Bofur and Bifur are with us as an extra precaution. Seeing that Aliena is playing with Bifur and Bofur just a few steps ahead of us, I take my chance to speak with Balin.

"I see that the battlefield is almost done being cleared of the dead." I say as I try to start a conversation. The cold wind is strong today, and it is causing my skirt to cling to my legs.

"It is a slow process. The elves have taken their kin back to the forest, and Dain's army is being given a proper burial inside the mountain." Balin responds. "The orc and goblins are all being burned just over the ridge. Thorin didn't want their filth to taint the slopes of Erebor."

"And the men of Dale? What of their fallen?" I ask him as another cold gust of wind forces me to pull the blanket tighter around my shoulders. I truly hope that this wind and cold doesn't cause my healing shoulder any harm.

"They are burning their dead since the ground is too cold to try and dig graves. Too many died that day." Balin says with sadness in his voice. "And one more could have joined those ranks." He gives me a pointed look before looking down to my small bump.

"Three more would have joined the dead if I hadn't fought that day, Balin."

"You don't know that lass. You took an awful big risk by fighting while carrying an heir of Erebor."

"Balin. I have heard the arguments from nearly everyone in the company, including Bilbo and Gandalf. If I hadn't done what I did we would be mourning the deaths of Kili, Fili, and Thorin. And who knows what Dain would have done to the child I carry. Even now, I feel I can't trust him." I finally voiced my worry about Dain. I had tried to speak with Thorin about it, but Dain is his cousin and he will not think or hear ill of him.

Balin lets out a sigh before responding to my voiced worries. "I know what you are saying lass. And I know that Thorin will not hear any of it. I too am worried about it. Dain is of the old ways, but you are right to worry about his reactions towards your child. I would suggest that you and Aliena are not left alone."

"Do you suspect something Balin?" I stop walking turn to look into Balin's face. "Please tell me."

"Nori has heard some of Dain's men speaking about your child, and that it is an unholy abomination." Balin says softly to me. He covers my hand that rests on his arm with his other hand. "I wouldn't give it much worry. Dwarrows talk just like the race of men talk gossip."

"But still, some gossip can hold truths." I say to Balin.

"We should continue our journey to the mountain." Balin says to me as he begins to walk again.

However, I did notice that there was a hint of fear in his eyes as we spoke of Dain. After hearing what Balin has told me, I plan on speaking with the members of the company, and possibly setting up some kind of personal guard rotation for Aliena.

We reach the gate of Erebor, and I am not surprised to see Dori, Ori, and Gloin waiting for us. Aliena is quick to give each of them a hug, before Dori and Ori escort her down to the kitchens for some food.

"Nice to see you up and on your feet, Azbadu men. Would you like to head to the kitchens as well? Bombur has made a nice stew and fresh breads today." Gloin says to me with a smile.

I look over at Balin, and give him a look that clearly says, 'no danger huh'. Balin gives a little shrug and walks off to who knows where.

"Very well, master Gloin. You may escort me to the kitchens." I take hold of Gloin's offered arm, and we begin our walk to the kitchens. Seeing that there is no one around, I decide to interrogate Gloin. "I know what you all are trying to do."

"What is that you're talking about?" Gloin replies.

"You all are worried, just like I am, about Dain and his view of my child. That is why you are escorting me to the kitchens, isn't." I look over at Gloin and can see that his face has fallen. So I was right.

"You didn't hear it from me. After you were brought down from Ravenhill, Oin and the elf lass had stitched your wound. But that first night, Dwalin caught one of Dain's men in the healing tent you were in. He isn't sure what the dwarf was doing in there, so it was decided by Thorin that he himself stay with you in that tent. After two days of being unconscious, Oin was starting to worry about you. He had told Thorin that you should have woken up, but you hadn't yet. That is when Oin did a full examination of you, and discovered that you were with child. That surprised us all it did. However, late that same evening Dain came barging into your tent, and confronted Thorin about you and the child. That is when Dwalin and myself went to bring Aliena to where you were. Yes, Bofur and Bombur were watching her that first day and night, but Balin was worried as was Thorin. They both thought that Dain spoke of Aliena. It wasn't till you had woken up, that Dain seemed even more furious."

"So my suspicions were correct then. Dain sees myself and my child as a threat." I place a hand on my small bump as we continue walking.

"You have nothing to worry about. All of us are willing to lay down our lives for that child in your belly." Gloin says to me.

"But Dain's army outnumbers us. Surely Thorin has thought of that."

"Oh he has. That is why when he isn't taking any chances. You and Aliena are to stay close to us, and us to you both."

"Looks like I don't have to worry about creating a guard rotation then. But what about at night?" I ask Gloin as he tries to lead me down some steps.

"Thorin will be with you most likely, but Aliena will be the tricky one. Most of us are talking about taking shifts outside her bedroom door."

I let out a soft chuckle at that, before realizing something. "What about Fili and Kili? Would Dain go after them?"

"Not unless he wants Thorin beating him senseless. And if Thorin doesn't finish him off, Dis most certainly will." Gloin says with a chuckle in his voice.

We reach the end of the steps and walk the short distance to the kitchens. Bombur and Bofur are there with Dori, Ori, and Aliena already eating at a small table off to the left side of the room.

"I set some food aside for you, Azbadu men." Bombur says to me with a giant smile on his face. He points to the bowl that is sitting on the table where the others are sitting.

"Thank you Bombur." I give him a quick kiss on the cheek before heading over to the table to eat.

Everyone starts laughing as Bombur's face turn bright red from me giving him a kiss. We all settle down and eat our midday meal. Once everyone has finished eating, cleaning up is a group effort. After everyone's dishes are clean and put away, Dwalin appears in the doorway.

"Inara. Your presence is being requested by Thorin." Dwalin hold out his arm for me to take.

"What about Aliena?" I ask walking away from the now empty sink with a towel in my hand.

"She will be alright with us." Bofur replies while taking the towel out of my hands. But Aliena seems to have her own ideas.

"No, Bofur. I go where mommy goes." Aliena tells him after she whacks him on the arm. Then she runs over to Dwalin and me. "Time to go see papa!"

The small group lets out some chuckles as I take Dwalin's arm, and Aliena grabs his other hand. We make our way out of the kitchen and out into the hallways. Some of Dain's men shake their heads as we pass them. It doesn't take us long to reach where Dwalin is leading us. I can see Thorin sitting on the throne with Balin standing nearby him. Dain is also there, but is standing before the throne.

Balin notices us approaching and quickly announces our arrival. "The lady Aliena and queen Inara."

Dwalin removes himself from Aliena and I before backing away to make his way over to Balin. Dain steps to the side to allow Aliena and I to move closer to Thorin. Aliena does a quick curtsy before running up to Thorin. I dip into a deep curtsy and stay like that till told otherwise. Thorin lets out a chuckle as he helps Aliena up onto his lap, and he also signals for me to come forward. I come to stand next to Thorin before anyone speaks.

"I believe Lord Dain has some information that he wishes to pass along to us." Thorin says before motioning to Dain to continue their discussion.

"I have come to tell you that the orcs and goblins have been found attacking some of my supply wagons from the Iron Hills." Dain says with a bit of anger in his voice. "All I am asking of Erebor is a few of your fighters to help protect the supply wagons. Especially when it is the Iron Hills that is helping you with making sure that there is food here."

"No one is questioning that Dain." Thorin replies. "However, I will need to speak with my company about this. We will give you our answer tomorrow morning."

"Will this satisfy you Lord Dain?" Balin asks cautiously.

I keep my attention on Dain during this whole exchange. He is definitely schooled on keeping his emotions secret. Doing a quick glance over to Balin, I can see that he too is a bit worried about how Dain will take this.

"It is satisfactory for now." Dain growls out before giving a small bow to Thorin. He walks, or more like stomps, his way out of the throne area.

"What do you think of his request, Inara?" Thorin asks me as he removes Aliena from his lap. He stands up from where he was sitting, and Dwalin moves quickly to hand Thorin a makeshift crutch.

"I would prefer to answer your question in private." I say to Thorin as I take Aliena's hand in mine.

"I agree with Inara. This place is too open to be discussing this." Balin says to Thorin.

Thorin nods in agreement, and using the crutch begins to walk away from the throne. Dwalin walks besides Thorin, as Balin walks with me. Aliena is walking between Balin and I. It doesn't take us long to find a private room, and once we all have entered it Dwalin takes it upon himself to stand outside of the closed door.

The room is small, and only houses a table with five chairs surrounding it. There is no decorations or even a fireplace in this small room.

Thorin hobbles his way over to one of the chairs, and Aliena is quick to follow him. Once again, she climbs up onto his lap, and starts to fiddle with one of the braids in his hair after he sits down.

Balin and I stay standing, and we give Thorin a smirk at the scene before us.

"Well," Thorin says to me. "Are you going to give me your thoughts on this situation?"

I think for a minute before answering him. "Part of me is weary of what Dain is asking. It could be a way to remove your best fighters, so that he himself can take over. But then, he is your cousin and you know him better than I."

"She has a point, Thorin. However, it might not be Dain we should be worrying about." Balin says to both of us.

"What do you mean?" Thorin asks Balin.

"Some of our allies have been overhearing some of Dain's men. It sounds like a few of them tire from taking orders from your cousin." Balin replies to Thorin.

"A possible rebellion?" I ask with a hint of concern.

"It does happen sometimes." Balin explains to me. "If some dwarrows feel as though they aren't being heard, they can rebel."

"That has only happened once before, and that was because one of the Blacklock lords was a tyrant to his people." Thorin says to Balin.

"Could it be that maybe some of Dain's men are jealous? Or perhaps are looking to leave his army?" I ask both of them.

"If that is the case, I will not allow them to come to Erebor. They would be too much of a concern." Thorin replies.

"But the question still remains. Do we send anyone to help protect the supply wagons that are coming from the Iron Hills?" Balin says with a hint of worry in his eyes.

Both Thorin and I think on this for a time, before I come up with an idea.

"What about sending Bifur and Gloin out to meet the supply wagons. It has come to my attention that Tauriel was banished from Mirkwood by Thranduil. Perhaps she can go as well, but stay hidden from sight. Mostly as a precaution in case that this is a trap."

Both Balin and Thorin look at me with shock, but Balin is the first to recover from it.

"It sounds reasonable enough, and with an elf watching from a distance. She could alert Bifur and Gloin of any possible threats." Balin reasons out loud. "She is also a great warrior from what I had seen back in Mirkwood."

"I do not like the idea of sending an elf to spy on kin." Thorin grumbles out.

"But papa," Aliena says to Thorin. "She helped me get back to mommy. She took me to Kili and Fili. And she helped protect us against a dragon." She gives Thorin one of her famous pouting faces, and I try hard not to chuckle. Balin however, lets out a soft chuckle at my daughters antics.

Thorin lets out a sigh before replying. "Very well. This she-elf may go. Let Bifur and Gloin know of her following them."

"That I will." Balin says before leaving the room.

Thorin looks at me, and I start to laugh. He starts to chuckle as well, since we both know that Aliena has him wrapped around her little finger. Aliena starts to laugh as well, but isn't sure about why.

The laughter dies down as Dwalin opens the door. "Fili and Kili are back from Dale, and it looks like Bard is with them."

I quickly pick Aliena up from her spot on Thorin's lap to allow him to stand up. "We shall greet them at the hall of the kings." Thorin says as he leans on his crutch.

"Very well." Dwalin says. "Are you sure that you can make it all the way there?"

"I am not an invalid." Thorin growls out at Dwalin as he hobbles out the door.

I follow behind Thorin, but come to a stop near Dwalin. "Send for Oin anyways. Thorin might be in some pain after all of this movement. I think he will be in a lot of pain later tonight."

Dwalin lets out a soft chuckle. "Lass, that dwarf is one of the most stubborn dwarrow I have come to know."

"Yes, and I am one of the most stubborn women in the world." I giggle back at Dwalin.

"Mahal spare us." Dwalin says as we start to walk down the hall. Thorin is standing there waiting for us at the end of it.

It takes a bit longer than normal to reach the hall of the kings, since we had to force Thorin to slow down or stop for breaks for his foot. Let me tell you this, he was not a happy dwarf about this. Once we arrived to the hall, I could see that Fili, Kili, Bard, and Tauriel were waiting for us.

"Kili! Fili!" Aliena shouts to them from her spot in my arms. I set her down on the ground, and as quick as lightening she runs off to them.

"Aliena!" Both boys shout to her. Fili has a bandage wrapped around half of his face to help keep the wound over his eye protected. Kili has his arm from the dislocated shoulder tied close to his chest in a sling.

Aliena practically throws herself into Fili, wrapping her hands around his waist in a hug like manner.

"Hey! Where is mine?" Kili whines as Fili laughs at his brother's pout.

Dwalin, Thorin, and I finally make it over to the group, and greetings are given to our guests. Thorin speaks with Bard about the distribution of the promised gold.

I, however, speak with Tauriel, Kili, and Fili about what Dain is asking of Thorin. Fili and Kili let out a soft groan about the possibility of Dain's men trying to do something. Tauriel on the other hand listens in very intently, and readily agrees with my idea. Kili doesn't like it much, but I whisper to him of my hope to have Tauriel stay in the mountain in any manner necessary.

After all the talking is over with, Thorin invites Bard and Tauriel to dine with us in the mountain. Both of them refuse, citing that Dale needs extra eyes as look outs for the night. Fili and Kili see our guests out, while Thorin, Aliena, and I head towards the kitchens.

We eat supper with the company that evening, and everyone seems to be a bit on edge. Especially since Dain and his men are eating alone in one of the main dining halls.

"I will be leaving in the morning." Bilbo says out loud, and it is enough to shock us into silence.

"What do you mean?" Fili asks Bilbo.

"It means that I am going to be returning to the Shire. You have your home now, so it is time for me to be returning to mine." Bilbo says with a hint of sadness in his voice.

Aliena gets up from her stop next to Bofur and myself, and runs over to Bilbo. "But I will miss you." She says to Bilbo as she hugs him.

"And I will miss you too. But I must be going home." Bilbo says to her as he gently hugs her back.

"Do you promise to visit?" She looks up at him with such hope in her eyes.

"Only if you promise to invite me back." They both grin at each other, and some of us chuckle at the sight.

The company keeps talking with Bilbo about coming to visit him, or trying to talk him out from leaving us. As they talk, my child does one of his fighting moves, and I place one of my hands over where the child hit.

Thorin noticed the small movement, and leans over to whisper to me. "You alright?"

I give Thorin a soft smile before answering. "I would be if your child would stop practicing his fighting technics when I am eating."

Thorin gives me a smile, before responding. "It is a good thing that he is practicing."

The rest of the meal is spent in merry making, and stories from nearly everyone. It keeps going long into the early night, and when I see Aliena yawn from her spot on Bilbo's knee I remind everyone that it is getting late.

It is agreed that we will all see Bilbo and Gandalf off in the morning, and Gloin and Bifur off in the afternoon with a small group of Dain's men.

Thorin leads Aliena, Fili, Kili, Balin, Dwalin, and myself towards the royal family's halls. It is agreed that is where we will be staying since it is the most protected and secured family home in Erebor. We reach an immaculate double door with intricate runes engraved in them.

"Only myself and Dwalin have a key that will open these doors" Thorin explains to us as he pulls out a key from under his shirt. Dwalin also pulls a key out from under his shirt as well. "I have the key that my father gave to me, while Dwalin hold your mother's key." Thorin says the last bit towards Fili and Kili.

Thorin places his key into one of the key holes, and turn the key, unlocking the door. He opens the door slowly and steps into the main area of the home.

I am in complete awe of this new place. The main room is very large, and in an open layout style. The floors are made of marble in a shade of grey that I remember seeing in my grandparent's kitchen. If you look to the left from the door, you can see multiple settees, fainting couches, chairs, and end tables. The walls of the left side are nothing but bookshelves full of books. To the right from the entrance door, it is completely bare, minus a few end tables and chairs spread along the wall. On the walls are many tapestries of the Durin house colors, and elaborate torch holders made of gold. It reminds me of the ballroom from my friend Alyssa's parent's house. At the far end of the large space, there is a doorway on either side of a Y shaped grand staircase. You can see the ceiling is of a high arch style like you see in a cathedral church. There are also door along the railing walkway of the open second floor area, which surround the main walkway from the main entrance to the staircase. (Think of that house from the movie The Sound of Music style).

"This is the royal house of Erebor's ruling family. Welcome." Thorin says to us as we begin to walk around the large main floor.

I walk towards one of the doorways to explore what is back behind the staircase. The left doorway leads to a short hallway with at least 4 doors on either sides of the walls and one main door at the end. I open the first door to the right, and see that it leads to a corridor. The second door on the right leads to a large toilet room with about 4 toilets, and three sinks. The third door to the right also is a large toilet room but with six toilets and four sinks. The fourth door on the right is locked. The door at the end of the hall leads into a large office like room. As I continue to look into each room, it becomes apparent that the doors on the right side are mostly bathrooms or a corridor. The door on the left side are all office like rooms.

I wander out of that area, and make my way to the other door way on the right side of the staircase. This doorway leads to a rather large dining room and kitchen area. And I finally discover that the corridor from first door on the other side of the staircase is connected to the dining room. So it is like a servant's passage way.

I return to the staircase, and I discover that Fili and Kili have already figured out that the door upstairs lead to bedrooms with small sitting areas in them. Each room also has its own small bathroom. However, I am focused on the hallway entrances at either side at the top of the Y shaped stairs.

"The hallway on the left, leads to my grandfather's family halls." Thorin says from behind me. As I am standing at the junction point of the staircase.

"So what down the right side's hallway?" I ask him.

"That is where my father had his family's halls." Thorin says with some sadness in his voice. He looks up at Fili and Kili, who are standing just at the top of the stairs on the right side of the Y. "Your mother's room is down that hall and is the second room on the left."

Both Fili and Kili hurry to go explore their mother's old room.

"Where would you like to stay for tonight?" I ask Thorin as Aliena walks up the stairs to reach us. "We could stay in your old room if you like."

Thorin doesn't really say anything, so this all must be emotionally upsetting to him. I take his hand before he whispers to me. "A husband is supposed to carve out the halls for his family."

"We can worry about that tomorrow, alright. But we do need a secure place to sleep tonight." I whisper back to him as I give his hand a light squeeze.

"Balin." Thorin shouts.

"Yes." Balin answers as he quickly makes his way up the stairs to us.

"Will you take Aliena to my old room?" Thorin asks Balin.

"Of course." Balin bows to Thorin and I before taking Aliena's hand.

Both Thorin and I give Aliena a hug and kiss goodnight before Balin takes Aliena towards Thorin's old room.

"Would it be alright if we stay in one of the guest rooms?" Thorin asks me.

"Anything with a bath and a bed is fine with me." I give Thorin a bit of a smile, before we shout our goodnight to Dwalin who is staying guard at the main entrance door.

We take the room that is the farthest from the stairs, but close to the entrance door so Thorin can hear if Dwalin alerts us to trouble.

The door opens up to a small sitting area that has a fainting couch near a fireplace. There is a half wall that separates the bedroom area from the sitting area. The door to the bathroom is located in the bedroom area of the room.

I make my way to the bathroom, and begin to draw a bath in the large tub that sits in the floor, like an in ground pool. Sounds from the door alerts me that Balin is speaking with Thorin. Since I left the door to the bathroom half open, I can't really make out what it is that they are talking about.

Once the tub is filled, I quickly remove every piece of clothing and the bandage wrap that is around my chest and shoulder. I take great care to keep my shoulder out of the water as I lower myself into the tub. It doesn't take long till I hear the heavy footsteps of Thorin enter the bathroom.

"Enjoying the view?" I ask from my place in the tub.

"Not much of a view when all I can see is the back of your head." He replies as he hobbles over to a bench that sits across from the tub. He slowly removes his clothes and bandages as well, before he hobbles over to get in the tub.

"You best not get that wound on your foot wet. Oin would possibly tie you to a bed if he could." I say to Thorin.

He gives me a sour look, but somehow keeps his injured foot from touching the water. I glide over to where he is at, and we both take turns helping the other to clean up. Once we have finished washing we slowly make our way out of the tub, and I help Thorin wrap his healing wounds with fresh bandages.

"Bofur delivered some clothes that Bard had sent from Dale for you and Aliena. That is why Balin stopped by our door." Thorin tells me as I finish up wrapping his foot.

"That was kind of him."

"Yes, however my promise still stands. You may buy whatever you wish or need."

"Let us worry about that when we can establish trade routes, alright." I tug on the towel that sits at his waist.

"Minx." Thorin growls out at me as I move away from him, and walk back towards the bedroom. He is slow to follow after me, but I sit down at the end of the bed to wait for him. "Will you stay put in one place so that I can wrap your injured shoulder."

"I can't make any promises." I give Thorin a smirk before he hobbles the last few steps, and practically tackles me to the bed. Once he has my shoulder bandaged up, we spend some time to rediscover each other before falling asleep.

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**I was not sure at the beginning of this chapter just where things were going. But now, I think that I just might be adding a few more chapters into it before ending this story. Originally the chapter after this one was supposed to be the end, but I guess things are changing slightly.**

**Reviews are always welcomed.**

**Selene**


	20. Fluff, Drama, and a Very Fond Farewell

**I apologize yet again with the late update. My school work has increased at an alarming rate, and my boss thinks it funny to have me working more hours as well. Updates may become scattered for the next three weeks. **

**This chapter will have a little fluff, some drama, and a very fond farewell for a certain hobbit. **

**Also, for the whole pregnancy bump thing. A four month bump to dwarves should look like a seven month bump to humans. Especially since in my story, they only carry for 8 months. Since Inara is four months along, her bump actually looks more like a human's five and a half month bump. If anyone recalls from a previous explanation I plan on having Inara carry for nine months. (Contrary to popular belief, we humans carry a baby for ten months aka 40 weeks in the real world.) Another thing to point out to you all, yes Inara knows that she is carrying twins; however, she isn't sharing that information with anyone. So the whole birth scene in a later chapter will be very interesting.**

**Side note: The braid Thorin puts into Inara's hair in this chapter can be found at the web address below. Remove the spaces to before you put it into your web browser. Just imagine how it would look with beads added to it. **

**/fashionexpressyourself .files .wordpress 2014 /02 /174c8de0dd4ddb dd0b50 fa95409f13cc. jpg**

**Thank you to all the reviewers, followers, and readers of this story. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit, or its events, or its characters.**

* * *

Something has disturbed my slumber, but my mind is still slow to think about what it could be. The warm body that is pressed up against my back moves slightly. The hand, which belongs to the said body, presses gently against my bump in a protective manner. While the head, tries to burrow even deeper into the back of my neck.

A louder pounding sound echoes from the door in the sitting room, and I let out a sigh. I try to turn to face the dwarf who is in my bed, but his grip on my body tightens.

"Thorin!" comes Dwalin's voice after the sound of the door opening.

Thorin lets out a growled sigh, before releasing his grip. He carefully removes himself from our bed, and pulls on his pants before making his way to answer the door.

As I stretch gently underneath the covers of the bed, I can hear a few words of their conversation. Slowly, I move to get up out of bed, and use one of the heavier blankets from a closet to wrap around myself. As I enter the sitting room, both Dwalin and Thorin look towards me.

"What's happened?" I ask in a sleepy voice from the open doorway of the bedroom.

"Bifur and Bofur found Bombur knocked out and bloodied up on the floor in the kitchens." Dwalin says to me. "Oin is already checking him over as we speak."

"Was there any signs of a struggle?" Thorin asks Dwalin.

"Not that I could find. Thorin, we know that Bombur wouldn't go down without a fight. Whoever did this had to have snuck up on him, or subdue him before he had a chance to defend himself." Dwalin says as he looks at Thorin then to myself and back to Thorin.

"It's because of me, isn't." I say as I make my way over to Thorin's side.

"No." Thorin quickly replies as he turns towards me, and places a hand against my cheek. "It is my fault."

"Because you love me. So it is still because of me." My eyes start to swell with tears. I can't stand the thought of anyone being hurt because of me. However, in hindsight I will most likely blame the mood swings later on for my moment of weakness.

Thorin rests our foreheads together, and wraps me up in arms. "If it anyone's fault, it will be mine and mine alone."

"Should I warn the rest of the company of possible attacks against them?" Dwalin asks from where he is standing.

Thorin backs out of our small embrace and turns to address Dwalin. "Have the company come here. I will speak with them myself." Thorin walks back towards the bedroom area to get himself dressed.

"You should go back to sleep lass. The sun hasn't risen yet, and you need all the sleep you can get." Dwalin says to me with a pointed look that clearly says not to argue.

"I don't think I could fall back asleep knowing that Bombur is hurt. Have Oin and some of the others bring Bombur here. I will clean out one of the rooms on the other side of the open hall, so that Oin may use it as a healing room." I tell Dwalin. He gives me a small nod of his head before I walk back to the bedroom to dress.

Thorin already has a tunic and vest on when I come into the bedroom area. He is sitting on the end of the bed trying to put on a boot over his injured foot. I walk over to the one of the closets and pull out a brown dress. The style reminds me of one of the dresses I remember seeing in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. I grab a short corset and a long shift to wear underneath the dress. As I begin to dress, I can feel Thorin's eyes following every move that I make. Once the shift settles into place, a pair of hands come out from behind me, and set themselves over the small bump.

"You should rest." Thorin's voice whispers against my shoulder as he goes to place a kiss there.

I place my hands over his. "I don't think that I will be able to sleep knowing that Bombur is hurt. But I will promise you that I will take a small nap later on today if that will make you feel better."

Thorin gives my shoulder another soft kiss, before turning me to face him. He holds my hands in his as he kneels before my bump, and gives it a kiss as well. As he whispers a few words of his language against the covered bump, the child inside decides to give his father a few strong hits. Thorin chuckles at our child's antics before he looks up at me.

"He gets stronger every day."

"Takes after his stubborn father." I give Thorin a smile as he comes to stand up from his kneeling position.

"How far along are you now?" Thorin asks with a worried tone.

"Possibly four months, why?"

Thorin gets a thoughtful look on his face before he speaks again. "Perhaps Oin should check you over. If you are truly four months, the bump should be bigger than it is."

"As long as I can feel movement, the child is fine. Besides, you forget that I am from the race of men. Each woman carries differently for each pregnancy. When I carried Aliena, everyone thought that I was gaining weight till suddenly my belly decided to pop. I looked like I had swallowed a ball for only a short month or two before giving birth to her." I say to him before giving him a kiss. "You worry too much."

"Only when it comes to those I care about." Thorin says as he releases my hands. He moves to where the short corset is and picks the item up. "May I?"

A nod of my head gives him the answer he needs. It is a strapless corset that only covers the bust line of the wearer. He is quick to pull it over my head, and adjusts it so that it sits correctly over the shift. Thorin ties the stays in the back, and makes sure that the ties in the front are a bit loose. He gives me a smile as he moves to grab the dress. I allow him to help me get into the dress, and it is a good thing too. The stomach area is a bit snug, and definitely puts some emphasis on the small bump. Once he has helped me finish dressing, he does a few braids in my hair. The style he has done is very intricate, and filled with multiple silver and blue beads. The two hair clasps he gave me during the journey are placed within the thicker braid. The rest of my hair is left loose.

Another knock on the door pulls our attention away from each other. We make our way to the sitting area, and see that Balin now stands where Dwalin once had been.

"Where is Dwalin?"

Balin does a quick once over my attire and hair before responding to Thorin's question. "He left almost an hour ago."

"Surely an hour hasn't passed, already?" I ask Balin, since I am shocked that it would take us that long to get ready.

"It has my lady, but perhaps you two where a bit side tracked to notice." Balin says with a little chuckle. "I am happy to report that most of the company are waiting for you, and that Bombur is now awake. He too, is waiting below for you. Oin has him sitting on a couch so there won't be any strain on the injuries."

"How bad are his injuries?" Thorin asks Balin, as he pulls on a jacket like over shirt.

"Nothing too severe, but the blow to the back of his head did have a good amount of blood. It is only a shallow cut, and did not need stitching." Balin says in an even tone.

Thorin mutters something, and I can see Balin's face go a little flush. As quickly as possible, Thorin makes his way out of our room with Balin and myself not too far behind. We make our way down the stairs, and approach where the company is sitting. I note that only Fili, Kili, Aliena, Gandalf, and Bilbo are missing from this meeting.

"I am sorry to wake you all so early." Thorin says to the group as he looks at everyone. "There is a matter which must be discussed between us all. I am sure most of you by now know of Bombur's incident in the kitchens."

Everyone in the company nods an affirmative to Thorin, and I move quietly towards one of the open seats so that I may sit down.

Thorin continues speaking, "I ask all of you to be on guard. Do not travel alone anywhere; only in pairs or in small groups. There has been whispers amongst our allies from the Iron Hills."

"What kind of whispers?" Ori asks while rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Dori gives him a nudge in the ribs with an elbow.

"None of the good kind." Gloin says with a growl in his voice.

"It would seem, lads, that some of Dain's men wish harm on Inara." Balin says to the group from where he is standing next to Thorin.

"Wanting to harm a pregnant female is not acceptable." Nori says as he stands up from his spot next to his brothers.

"Aye, but if Dain doesn't have control over a few of his men, how is he to stop them?" Dwalin says to the group.

"Certainly our kin from the Iron Hills knows that laws. Harming a pregnant female is punishable. Even more so since she carries an heir." Oin says from his spot next to where Bombur is resting.

"Not if they view the child as an abomination due to its mixed blood." Bofur says rather harshly.

Bifur makes a few hand gestures, and I watch Thorin get a small smile on his face before he addresses Bifur. "I would like to agree with you Bifur, but I have another task for you and Gloin. I need the two of you to travel later this afternoon with a group of Dain's men to see what is keeping the supply wagons from arriving. The she-elf will follow you at a distance so that if something were to occur, she will be able to help."

Bifur lets out a huff and a few growled words, which Bofur says is an agreement with Thorin. The discussion continues, so I get up from my seat and make my way towards the nice sized kitchen.

Finding a large basket sitting on a counter top, I decide to go ahead and make something for breakfast. Lighting the stove top isn't that difficult when you use a lit torch from the wall. I search the cupboards for a skillet, set it on the burner. I find a little jar of what appears to be lard in the basket, and scoop a small amount into the skillet. Pulling out what appears to be perhaps bacon, or ham, I begin to search for a knife in the drawers of the kitchen. After finding a knife, I begin to slice the meat carefully on the counter top, and place a few of the slices into the skillet. The meat sizzles, and a wonderful aroma fills the air as I continue to cut the meat. Once cutting is done, I check the skillet and flip the slices so that the other sides may cook.

Footsteps entering the kitchen causes me to look up from the skillet. In the doorway, I see a few members of the company standing there. Oh, the looks on their faces has me busting out into laughter.

"Come on in here and help if you want anything to eat." I say to them.

Ori, Bofur, and Nori are quick to help pull out the other items from the basket. Bread, some cheese, some fruit, and what looks like eggs find their way onto the counter top. Dori quickly shuffles about while talking about making some tea to go with breakfast. Bifur is quick to take over my job of cooking the meat, which leaves me with nothing to do. So I enlist Ori's help in setting the table in the dining room.

Once the table is set, Thorin pulls out a bench like seat and helps me to sit down.

"You know, I can sit down without your help. I am not that fat, yet." I chuckle.

"Let me pamper you, since you are already hard at work." Thorin says with a smile as he moves to sit next to me. One of his hands settles against the small bump, where our child is currently practicing his fighting moves.

"You better not treat me like I am a fragile piece of glass for the remainder of this pregnancy."

"I wouldn't dream of it." Thorin replies with a chuckle as our child gives a good jab at his father's hand.

Balin and Dwalin let out a chuckle at Thorin and I's verbal exchange. They proceed to sit down, as does Bombur with Oin's help. The rest of the dwarves start to bring out the cook meat, sliced bread, fruit, and cheese to the table before everyone sits down to eat. However, I notice that a certain trio is missing from the table. Since no one says anything about our missing comrades, we eat our fill of the breakfast.

As I take my last bite, our child decides to give one of the hardest kicks I have ever felt. It startles me enough to make me drop my piece of meat, and place both hands on my bump. Everyone stops what they are doing at my quick movements.

"Inara?" Thorin asks me, as he too felt the powerful hit from where his hand has stayed during breakfast.

"Something wrong lass?" Oin asks as he gets up from his spot at the table. He scurries over to me, and is quick to swat my hands and Thorin's hand away from my bump.

Everyone watches with bated breath as Oin palpitates my small bump. Thorin notices the slight worry in everyone's eyes, and looks to Oin for some kind of explanation.

Oin completes his task and quickly looks at Thorin and I before speaking. "Has the child hit that hard before?"

"No. That was the first time in a long time that it has hurt that bad." I answer him as honestly as possible.

"It will only get worse from here, lass. As the bairn grows, he will run out of room. I will be wanting to check on you once a week till you give birth. With you being from the race of men, it will mean you are more at risk than one of our females. Bairns have been known to bruise ribs and organs when our females carry them. You, however, run the risk of having broken or fractured ribs, and possibly damaged organs from the bairns' hits." Oin explains and I notice Thorin goes a little ridged next to me.

"Is there anything we can do to avoid Inara becoming injured?" Thorin asks Oin.

I am starting to get a little agitated with this conversation since both dwarves seem to be ignoring the fact that I am the one carrying the child. "Hey, females have been having children long before healers were around. Plus you two seem to forget that I have done this before." I push myself out of my seat and walk away from the table. 'Yup, blame the mood swings on this blow up later on.' I tell myself as I keep walking towards the stairs.

As I arrive to the stairs, Fili is coming down with Aliena up on his shoulders. She is dressed in an ankle length blue dress that has bell sleeves. Fili slows down to a stop as he can clearly see the anger on my face.

"Mommy!" Aliena shouts to me.

"Good morning little one. How did you sleep?" I ask her.

"I slept well." Aliena replies. "Look at the pretty braid Fili and Kili put in my hair." She points up to the feather braid that sits like a low crown in her hair.

"More like she snuck into the room Kili and I were in during the night. We found her this morning laying between us." Fili explains to me as he slowly begins to come down the last of the stairs.

"Well there is breakfast for you in the kitchen, just make sure Aliena eats something if you could please." I ask of Fili.

"Sure." Fili replies as he removes Aliena from her spot on his shoulders. "Why don't you go find Thorin, Aliena. I wish to speak to your amad for a minute."

"Okay." Aliena says as she begins to run towards the kitchen. "Papa!" Aliena's voice echoes through the hall.

Fili and I both chuckle at this, before Fili takes one of my hands in his. "You look stressed. What happened?"

"Oh the typical mood swing response to hearing something that I didn't like." I answer back to him with my eyes cast towards the ground.

"Did uncle poke the beast?" Fili asks with laughter in his voice.

"No. More like I don't like to be reminded that I am a fragile human and not a dwarf."

Fili chuckles and is about to respond, but a noise alerts us that someone is falling down the stairs. There in a big pile of clothes, trying to put on his boots, is Kili at the landing of the stairs. Both Fili and I start to laugh at the sight, and Kili's face turns bright red in embarrassment.

"Morning Kili." I say through my laughter.

"Morning. Is there any meat left?" Kili asks as he gets up from the landing and hurries down the rest of the stairs. "I could smell it all the way in our room."

"Of course there is, but only if you hurry." I reply to Kili, and watch with delight as the two brothers quickly race each other to get to the kitchen.

I walk over towards the massive bookshelves along the wall, and glance at the spines of the books till everyone finishes eating or cleaning up. It takes probably about an hour before the company leaves the kings family halls.

We make our way towards the front gate of Erebor, and find Gandalf waiting with Bilbo. It sadness me to know that Bilbo and Gandalf will be leaving us. Dwalin and Dori help tie packs of supplies to Bilbo's pony and Gandalf's horse. Once the packs are tied, Gandalf steps out with the horse and pony. Standing just outside of the gate, Bilbo begins to address us.

"If any of you are ever passing Bag End, uh. Tea is at four. There is plenty of it. You are welcome anytime. Don't bother knocking." Bilbo says to all of us.

"You can't leave." Aliena says as she hurries over to give Bilbo a hug. "You have to stay." She tells him as tears start to fall from her eyes.

Bilbo bends down to her level, and places a hand on her cheek. "I would like to stay, but I have to go home. As much fun as it would be to see your mother and Thorin deal with taking care of a baby, it is time for me to say goodbye."

Aliena's tears turn into big crocodile tears as I move away from the dwarves, and come to where Bilbo and Aliena are. She fights against me as I pull her away from Bilbo, and hold her close to me.

"You will come a visit, won't you?" I ask Bilbo and Aliena stops her crying to hear his answer.

"I will try, but I can't make any promises. Goodbye little Aliena. We shall meet again someday." Bilbo says before standing up to leave. He climbs up onto his pony, and Gandalf climbs onto his horse.

Thorin comes to my side, and picks Aliena up into his arms. Everyone joins us on the makeshift bridge as we watch Bilbo and Gandalf leave. Aliena buries her head into Thorin's shoulder and cries her little heart out. If there is one thing I didn't prepare Aliena for, it was on how to say goodbye.

We all stay there till Bilbo and Gandalf disappear from our sight.

"Time to get ourselves ready to go." Gloin says to Bifur as he tugs on the dwarf's sleeve.

The others start to make their way back into Erebor, except Thorin, Kili, Fili, Balin, Dwalin, and I. Both Kili and Fili come closer to Thorin and me, and try to cheer up Aliena.

"We will see him again." Fili says as he rubs Aliena's back.

"And until then we can play and get into mischief together." Kili says to her from behind Thorin.

"Our master burglar will come to visit us again, hôfukel" Thorin whispers to her.

Aliena's cries turn into blubbering hiccups, and I watch as three grown dwarves try get her to smile. Well two actually since it is Fili and Kili making the funny faces at her.

The day moves quickly, and it isn't long till we find ourselves back at the gate. Bifur, Gloin, and a group of Dain's men are preparing themselves for their journey. Bombur and Bofur are huddled around Bifur saying their goodbyes. Oin and Gloin are also saying their goodbyes as well. Dain, Thorin, and I are standing at the gate as well. Thorin has his right arm around my back, with his right hand lightly gripping my waist. My hands are placed, left over right, above where my child is.

"Lord Dain. We are ready to depart." A soldier says to him.

"Very well. Thorin, are your men ready to depart?" Dain asks, as he looks towards we are standing.

"Bifur. Gloin. Are you ready to leave?" Thorin calls out to them. He hasn't left my side since we left Aliena with Ori in the library. Both of us agreed that Ori and Balin would oversee Aliena's education.

"Aye. We are ready." Gloin shouts to Thorin. He quickly mounts his pony, and Bifur does the same.

Again we watch two of our friends leave, but it is with a sense of tension of the reason why. Once we are satisfied with how far the group has left, we enter the mountain once more. Dain walks with us as we make our way towards one of the council rooms.

"Thorin, I know you aren't happy about the situation." Dain says as we walk. "But we must have the supplies."

"I know you mean well cousin." Thorin answers from his place next to me. He has placed himself between Dain and me when we first started walking, and his left hand is on the small of my back. "I can only hope that my people are safe on their journey here."

"What do you mean?" Dain asks as he comes to a stop.

"Did I not mention, that I sent out another raven to Dis at the same time I sent one to you?" Thorin says as he comes to a stop as well.

"No you didn't cousin." Dain replies. "How long do you think it will take for them to arrive?"

"Five to six months if the weather doesn't slow them down."

"And when were you planning to have your coronation?"

"Immediately, as long as Balin can find a way to make it so." Thorin answers Dain. I watch the two with interest. Dain seems to be interrogating Thorin, and Thorin is becoming a bit agitated.

"If there is anything I can do to help, please let Balin know that I will be more than happy to help." I say to Thorin, and watch as his eyes light up.

"I will let him know." Thorin says to me before we continue walking.

"I have troops to look after, Thorin. See you later tonight." Dain says as he leaves us.

Thorin and I finally make it to the council room and find Balin and Dwalin waiting for us. The rest of the day is spent in talks about sentry duty at the gate, and of Nori's information gathering. After those discussions are finished, Balin and Thorin begin to speak of the coronation ceremony. At this point, the exhaustion from the lack of sleep the night before takes its toll. I drift off into a light sleep at the sounds of Thorin and Balin's voice.

I am woken up about two hours later by Thorin telling me that it is time for supper. The four of us make our way down to the large dining hall to have supper with Dain and his men. Everyone is there, including Aliena who is already sitting at the king's table with Fili and Kili. I am seated on Thorin's right while Dain sits at Thorin's left side. Fili is seated next to me, followed by Aliena then Kili. Balin sits next to Dain and Dwalin next to his brother.

Supper consists of rabbit, fowl, and a few boars. It would seem that Dain's men have been hunting. As we eat our meal, there is chatter amongst the troops that fills the hall. I notice that Aliena is barely touching any of her food. So I lean over to speak with Fili.

"Aliena isn't eating."

"She is still upset that Bilbo left." Fili whispers to me before taking a drink from his tankard of ale.

"Poor girl. That is the one thing that I failed to teach her. That people come and go in our lives."

"I wouldn't worry too much about her. She may be young, but she is strong-willed like her mother." Fili answers back.

"Perhaps I should take her back home to the family halls." I say to Fili, who nods in agreement. I lean the other way, and whisper to Thorin that I am taking Aliena back to the family halls.

Fili stands up from his seat, and helps me up from my seat as well. We walk over to Aliena, and she is quick to allow Fili to pick her up from her chair. Dwalin rises up from his chair as well, and leaves with us from the dining hall. We make our way back to the King's family hall, and Dwalin is quick to stand by the main entrance door.

Fili and I make our way to Thorin's old bedroom, and once we enter I notice that Aliena has fallen asleep in Fili's arms. Gently, he places Aliena into the large, four poster bed. I tuck her in and kiss her goodnight before leaving the room. Fili is quick to follow me from the room.

"Perhaps you should get some rest as well, Inara." Fili says to me.

"I will. You may go back to the others if you wish." I say to Fili as we begin to walk down the hall towards the room Thorin and I shared last night.

"I will see you to uncles' room before I return to the others. He shall know that you have retired for the evening." Fili says as we come to a stop before the door of the room.

"Thank you Fili." I say to him before entering my room. Closing the door, I glance about the room with tired eyes. I make it to the bed just in time. As my head hits the soft pillow, I fall into a deep sleep.

Hours pass, and it isn't long till I feel a warm, solid body come to rest next to mine. A kiss is placed at my temple, as I float back into the sleep world.

Two weeks pass before Gloin and Bifur return with the supply wagons. During those two long weeks, Dain had begun to send men back to the Iron Hills. The reason, because word has come that some of the dwarves of Erebor are on their way home. Dis had managed to send word via a raven, to let Thorin know that more and more dwarves are joining her caravan to the mountain as well.

Three more weeks pass, and now my bump has doubled in size for being just over five months. Thorin seems to be enjoying the fact that our child is showing more now. Anytime we are alone, he speaks to it, and enjoys the feeling of our child move. I still haven't told anyone that I am actually carrying twins, but why spoil that surprise.

The past five weeks all together have had no incidents, and Nori hasn't heard one word against me or the child I carry. So Aliena and I having a guard with us has become lax. It is mid-morning, and I have just dropped Aliena off to Ori for her lessons. Her birthday is three days from now, and I plan on having a surprise party for her. I make my way from the library, and start to head towards the kitchens. Upon reaching a flight of stairs, I lift the deep blue skirt of my dress to keep it from tripping me. I reach the base of the stairs, and turn to the left before making my way down the corridor.

A dwarf steps out of the shadows to my right, and I move so that there is room for him to pass me. The dwarf moves too fast for my brain to comprehend what happens next. A sharp pain erupts from the right side of my ribs as the dwarf uses a dagger, and rams it into me. He stabs a few more times, as he presses me against the wall with a heavy hand covering my screams.

I bite the hand covering my mouth, and use all my strength to push the dwarf away. I let out an ear piercing scream, and my assailant flees. My legs give way, and I slide to the ground landing onto my left side. It hurts to move or even breath, but I force my hands to apply pressure to the wounds. Blood is starting to pool onto the ground. After a few minutes of laying there, my eyes start to lose focus.

The sound of heavy, fast moving footsteps are coming down the stairs.

"Inara! No!" shouts Dwalin's voice as the footsteps come closer to me.

"Mahal no! We need help! Go get Oin!" I hear Kili yell.

The sound of another pair of boots hitting the floor in a run is the last thing I hear. My world at this point goes black.

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**I told you there was going to be some drama. The next chapter will see Dain and Thorin have a verbal fight, Inara's recovery, and a punishment dealt.**

**All reviews are welcome.**

**Selene**


	21. Recovery, Death, and Birth

**Since I can't seem to focus on my accounting homework, here is another chapter for you all. I was a little mean by leaving you all with that cliff hanger. So, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. **

**Hint: Time is going to skip forward quickly in this chapter, and the long awaited birth will finally happen! I will be using my own experience of birth for this story. Also as a heads up, the birth scene may be a bit gross to some of you. I tried to keep it clean, and as real life as I could.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Hobbit, or its events, or its characters.**

* * *

The pain is what slowly brings me out of my unconsciousness. My right side feels like it is on fire, and it hurts so much that I let out a whimper. I open my eyes to see Bofur sitting in a chair, next to my bed.

"You awake lass?" He asks me once he notices that my eyes are open.

"It hurts." I say softly to him as I move to press a hand to my side.

"Aye, it will for a while lass. Gave everyone a right old scare. Dwalin, Balin, and Fili had to hold Thorin back while Oin stitched you up. He is livid that no one was with you to keep you safe." Bofur says to me with a slight smile on his face.

"What about my child?" I ask with fear in my voice.

"Both Oin and Tauriel checked, and the bairn is fine. However, they want you on bed rest for a good while." Bofur moves to get up from the chair. "I should go get Oin, he'll be wanting to check you over again."

I reach out in an attempt to grab Bofur's hand. "Where are we?"

"Dwalin and Kili brought you back to the kings' family halls. Thorin said you had been wanting to turn one of the rooms into a healing room before the bairn comes. Now I need to go, lass." Bofur says to me with a soft look on his face. He leaves the room and it isn't long till the door opens again.

"Inara." Thorin's voice is full of emotion as he makes his way towards me. He settles himself at the edge of my bed, and takes my hand. "Thank Mahal, you are alright."

I give a pain filled smile, and squeeze his hand in a reassuring manner. "I told you that nothing can keep me down."

"Do not jest in this case, Inara. You were attacked." Thorin's voice is raw with anger. "Do remember what your assailant looked like?"

"I don't know who exactly, but it was one of Dain's people. They all kind of look the same, so pinpointing who will be difficult." I take in a quick breath as my side twinges in pain. Letting out a rough moan through gritted teeth as I try to manage the pain.

"Oin will be here soon with some medicine for the pain." Thorin says as he brushes aside some of the hair that is plastered to my forehead.

We sit in silence for a few minutes, till Oin enters the room carrying a tray. He walks over to the table that sits near the chair, and sets the tray down gently onto the table. He picks up a cup, and hands it to Thorin. "It will help with the pain, so have her drink it all."

"Master Oin, we have got to keep meeting like this." I say to him through the pain.

"You lass, should stop being as reckless as Kili. Then maybe we wouldn't be meeting under these circumstances." He says to me in a serious voice.

Thorin brings the cup towards me, and helps me lift my head so that I may drink the contents. I guzzle it down with no complaint, even though the drink tastes like horse piss. Once the cup is empty, Thorin hands it back to Oin.

"I will still need to check her bandages, Thorin." Oin says with a pointed look.

"Very well." Thorin says to Oin as he gets up from his place on the bed. "I shall send Kili in here to keep her company, while I speak with Dain."

Thorin leaves the room, and Oin makes his way over to the other side of my bed. He helps me sit up so that he can check on the bandages. Once he removes the soiled ones, he replaces them with fresh ones. After he completes his task, he helps me to lay down once again.

The door opens up to reveal a worried looking Kili.

"Inara, you're awake." Kili says as he makes his way to my bedside.

"I'll be trusting that you will be keeping an eye on her then." Oin says to Kili as he goes to leave the room.

"You gave us quite the scare, Inara." Kili says to me as he sits down on my bed. "None of us thought you or the child were going to make it."

"Sorry I made everyone worry. I really wasn't planning on getting stabbed." I whisper as my body starts to force me into slumber. "Kili, I am tired."

"Go ahead and rest. I'll be here when you wake up." Kili takes my hand just as I fall asleep.

The next time I wake it is to the sound of an argument coming from the other side of the door. Two of the voices I recognize immediately as Fili and Thorin's.

"Uncle, you can't just punish all of Dain's men. It doesn't make sense." Fili's voice rings out.

"One of his men attack Inara and our child, your heir! Do not tell me that our laws call for justice." Thorin shouts.

"Thorin." Balin's voice says calmly. "Dain has already interrogating his men to try and find the attacker. All we can do is wait to see what information Dain can bring us."

Someone is now pacing back and forth, and I hear a low growl followed by a loud thump against the rock wall.

"It is taking too long." Thorin growls out.

"To make sure that we have the right person to punish, yes it is supposed to." Fili says in a low tone.

"I want at least one of the company to be with Inara at all times. Aliena as well. For all we know she may be next. They are not to leave these halls till I say so." Thorin says.

"You can't keep Inara locked away, Thorin." Balin says. "She wouldn't stand for it."

"She will do as she is told." Thorin answers.

"No she won't uncle. You forget that she isn't a dwarrowdam; she is a daughter of the race of men. Inara can be just as stubborn as you can, and she will fight you on this." Fili yells out.

"Fili is right Thorin. She complements you just as you complement her. Mahal knew what he was doing when he fated you two to be together." Balin says with a slightly raised voice. "I would suggest you see Oin about your fist laddie, before Inara worries about it. She has enough to worry about with trying to see the pregnancy through to the end."

I hear two pairs of footsteps walk away from my door, just as another set comes through the door. The person makes their way over towards me, and I keep my eyes closed. A small shock runs through me as I hear Fili speak.

"I am sorry little one that I couldn't protect you or your amad." Fili says as he places a hand over my bump. "Your father is worried about both of you. This attempt at an assassination has rattled him greatly. I can only hope that he doesn't fall into a revengeful, dark path at his attempt for justice. He loves you so much little one."

A strong kick strikes out where Fili's hand is resting, and he gives a slight chuckle before continuing on.

"You will be my heir, no matter what any of the dwarf lords say. I will see to it that you inherit my thrown."

As I hear Fili's words I decide that it is time to give up my slight ruse. "Already deciding my child's future, Fili?"

"Inara!" Fili says as he looks away from my bump, and towards my face. "I was only telling him of what his place will be in here in Erebor."

I let out a soft chuckle as I place one of my hands over his. "I heard arguing a few moments ago. What is going on?"

Fili lets out a sigh before answering me. "Uncle is furious that Dain hasn't found your attacker yet. He wants a quick punishment so that he doesn't have to worry."

"I hear a but coming though." I say to Fili as encouragement to continue.

"If he acts too hastily, and the wrong person is punished it would cause the other lords to question Thorin's ability to rule." Fili says with a hint of sadness in his voice.

"You're worried that a mistake may cost Thorin his throne." I answer him as I give his hand a squeeze.

"It wouldn't be just him they would question. His grandfather's fall to the sickness, has many of the lords starting to question our heritage of the Durin line." Fili says. "Balin has his little network of informers all over the other dwarf kingdoms. They have reported that this line of Durin is cursed."

"There will always be naysayers no matter what kingdom you belong to. Even where I am from, people start to spread false information. Or even their version of the truth. It all stems from someone who wants power and control at all costs. Including their own family, friends, and even their very souls. They lose their morals, good judgement, and even logical thinking all for greed and power. All we can do is show the other lords that your line of Durin isn't cursed." I say to Fili, and watch as he thinks about what I have just said.

"You seem to have a strong, solid insight on things Inara." Fili says to me with a small smile on his face.

My child decides to kick out a few more times against Fili's hand, and we both speak of better things till Thorin comes to stay with me.

My recovery takes about three weeks of nothing but bed rest and short trips for to the toilet or to wash. Oin means well with taking these precautions, but my nerves are just about frazzled. It also hasn't helped that Thorin's agitation with Dain is starting to come to a head. My wounds are just about healed from the attack, and I use this information against Oin. With much pestering from me, Oin has reluctantly allowed me to leave my healing room for supper.

Thorin isn't happy about it, but after throwing the pillows, a pitcher of water, and even a vase at his head he readily agrees to it. So here I am putting on a deep blue and silver dress that is lined with fur at the neck. Thorin keeps the ties of the dress lose around my bump, which has gotten bigger again. This also means that our child's movements are more pronounced. At six months with child, all of the dwarves from the company are starting to drive me crazy with their worry.

I leave our shared room, while Thorin continues to fiddle with his boots. There at the top of the stairs is Fili, Kili, and Aliena, who are all dressed up as well. Fili is wearing an outfit of golden brown, and Kili is wearing an outfit of a slate color. Aliena is wearing a soft, pale pink colored dress, and some flowers braided into her hair.

"You sure about this Inara?" Kili asks me as Aliena gives me a hug, and kisses my bump.

"Of course. These last three weeks have been sheer torture." I respond as I take Aliena's hand into one of my own.

"Mommy, when will my brother come?" Aliena asks with such innocence, that the boys and I chuckle at her question.

"Not for a couple of months yet, sweetheart." I say to her.

"But that is too long. Can't he come now?" Aliena's impatience is kind of cute.

We had a small birthday party for her while I was healing, and she became one of the most spoiled little girl here in Erebor. Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur made her a toy set that looks an awful lot like Noah's Ark. Gloin and Oin started a gold account as a future dowry. Dori, Nori, and Ori had put together a small set of books filled with tales. Balin made Aliena a small journal, and Dwalin made her a set of practice blades. Last but not least Thorin, Fili, and Kili put together a small play house for her that is currently residing in the ballroom part of the king's family halls.

Fili going down the stairs brings me out of my thoughts. Aliena and I follow him down with Kili right behind us. The two boys have taken it upon themselves to make sure that nothing happens to me or Aliena.

The company is waiting for us by the main doors to the hall, and it isn't long till Thorin joins us. We leave the halls as a large group, and make our way to the main dining halls of Erebor. As we enter, Dain and his men stand up and remain doing so. Thorin helps guide me up to the head table, and pulls out a chair for me. Once I am seated, Thorin himself sits and everyone else follows afterwards.

Supper is a quiet affair with deer, fowl, and pig being served with breads, some kind of potatoes, other vegetables, and some fruits. I stick to drinking milk since ales and beers are not my best friends. Everyone is eating when there is a commotion that has everyone looking towards the main door to the dining hall.

Standing in the doorway is one of Dain's generals holding another dwarf by the back of the neck.

"My lords, I believe the culprit from the attack has been found." The general says as he drags the other dwarf towards the head table.

Dain is quick to stand up from his seat. "What is this?" Dain says as he moves from the head table down to face the culprit.

Thorin is quick to join Dain, while Fili and Kili quickly place themselves next to Aliena and I. Dwalin moves so that he is next to Thorin.

"I caught him trying to barge into the kitchens. He had this on him." The general hands Dain a vial, which both Dain and Thorin recognize.

"Where did he get this? Where!" Thorin shouts as his left hand reaches to the pummel of his sword.

"Easy cousin." Dain says to Thorin. "We don't know what is in this vial or if it is even poison."

"Tell them what you told me." The general says to his captive as he forces the dwarf to his knees.

When the dwarf speaks, it feels like ice water running down my spine. The language he uses is one that I remember hearing only a short time ago. Black speech. When the dwarf finishes speaking his full, black eyes looks directly at me. All at once, the child inside of me decides to beat and kick around so hard I nearly double over in my chair.

Something isn't right. Something is wrong, but the sound of metal upon flesh causes me to look up. I really wish I hadn't. The body of the dwarf lays headless on the floor, and my child inside of me starts to go quiet.

"Inara?" Fili's voice brings me out of my shock, but only slightly. "Inara are you okay?"

"It's the darkness, Fili. It will never end its attempts at trying to get rid of me." I whisper just before throwing up on his shoes.

As the food I ate makes a reappearance, I can hear Thorin and Dain yelling at each other. Once twice to I throw up, and Fili doesn't leave my side even with his shoes becoming messy.

"You didn't have to kill him, Thorin!" Dain yells out. "It was clear that my man was not himself."

"And allow him to continue to threaten my family!" Thorin rages at Dain. "No one threatens or harms my family Dain. No one!"

Thorin marches away from Dain with a thunderous look in his eyes. He reaches the table and quickly comes to check on me.

"Inara, are you alright." Thorin whispers to me as he comes to kneel by my chair.

"She mentioned something about darkness, uncle." Fili says as he moves away from me.

"It will never end. The darkness will continue to hunt me down, Thorin." I rasp out as tears start to pool in my eyes.

"It will not get the chance. Not while I am alive." Thorin whispers to me, as he tucks a loose hair behind my ear.

Thorin helps me out of my chair, and leads me out of the dining hall. Oin, Fili, Kili, and Aliena are quick to follow us back to our halls. Once back in our room, Thorin draws me a bath as Oin checks me over. He tells Thorin that I am in shock, and shouldn't be left alone. He agrees with Oin before seeing out of our room. He helps me undress, and both of us find our way into the bath.

"Are feeling well now, amrâlimê." Thorin asks as he gently lets out my hair from its braids.

"I don't know. All I can feel is the cold feeling that was coming from his eyes. Thorin, the darkness doesn't want me here. I don't think it will ever leave us alone." I say with worry in my voice.

"It will not take you from me." Thorin answers back to me. "I would give up my life before I would allow anything to happen to you or Aliena."

I lean my head back to rest upon Thorin's shoulder as he wraps his arms around me. His hands settle on my bump, and we spend a small amount of time basking in each other's company.

With any would be attackers now neutralized, things start to calm down again in the mountain. For nearly three months there have been no incidents. Dain's forces are now only a fourth of what they once were, and some of the first caravans of former dwarves of Erebor have reached the mountain. Former families are allowed to take up residence in their old homes. There is to be a feast tonight to celebrate the coming home of the Erebor dwarves.

I lay in bed on the morning of the said feast in a bad mood. Trying to sleep with a constantly moving child inside doesn't allow me any rest. Once I get comfortable enough to attempt to sleep, the child decides to ram his foot into my bladder. Feeling the pressure from the hit, I try to move carefully into a sitting position, but fail. My bump now looks like a full term 40 week bump even though I am only two days shy of the nine month mark. Even Oin is shocked that by this fact, and he is worried about when my labors should start.

The movement to my left lets me know that my failure to get up has woken my partner. He props himself up with his elbow before speaking to me.

"Inara?" Thorin says with a sleepy voice. "What is it?" He too has been worried about the pregnancy, and his nonstop anxiety is driving me nuts.

"I need to pee." I say before giving Thorin an icy glare. "Your son decided to treat my bladder like it was an orc."

Thorin chuckles before getting himself out of bed wearing not a stitch of clothing on him; since it is early summer the days and nights are warm. He moves around the foot of our bed, and comes up to my side. Using his arm, he helps me move to a sitting position. I move my feet off the bed, and again Thorin helps me up from the bed. We both make our way towards the bathroom, and he steps out to let me do my business. If only the toilet had a flush capability, then I would have noticed that something was amiss.

As I pee, I feel a small tightening shoot across the bump. I gently rub my bump, thinking that maybe the child within was feeling squished from me sitting. The tightening lessens, and does not return. Now I know, and remember what contractions feel like. So I tuck away this little incident away in my mind as a just in case. Before getting up from the toilet, I use a clean wipe rag to check for any discoloration from a particular area. Seeing that the rag is clean, I let it fall into the toilet as I move to get up.

I make my way over to the water basin that sits off to the left from the bath. I wash my hands carefully so that none of the water lands on my short sleep shift. It would be just my luck that Thorin thinks that my waters broke if any spots of water were to appear. I dry my hands on the cloth, and make my way back towards the bedroom.

We have changed rooms since the incident. Thorin and I have agreed that we are going to change the layout of his grandfather's and father's halls. We are going to combine them so that Fili, Kili, Thorin's sister, Aliena, and we will have our own small apartment like areas. However, it was agreed by Fili, Kili, Thorin, and myself that there will be a joint royal nursery for any future children.

Our apartment was the first to be done, and Thorin had help from Bofur, Bifur, Dori, Nori, Fili, and Kili to get it ready before our child is born. It has a good sized sitting area with a fireplace. There is a short hallway that leads to our bedroom, and the bathroom is connected to our bedroom. There is a nice sized walk-in closet as well.

Thorin is already dressed as I make my way towards the closet. He watches me like a hawk watches a rabbit; ready to pounce at the slightest of movements.

"Will you stop staring?" I growl out at him as I open the closet door.

"How can I not stare at the beautiful woman who carries my child?" Thorin replies as he makes his way over to me. "Are you sure that you do not want to try and rest some more?"

I grab a pale, silver dress before walking back into our room. "Why? Your son will not let me rest, so I might as well be up. Besides Bombur wanted my insight into what is to be prepared for tonight's feast." I set the dress down onto our bed, and move towards dresser that has my underthings.

"Very well. Just make sure that you go and see Oin today." Thorin says as he moves to stand behind me.

Without even speaking any words, Thorin helps me with the short corset that sits at my larger bust line. He tugs the stays so that it is just right before moving to stand in front of me. He looks me over, but in actuality he is appreciating one of the many side effects of pregnancy. That's right ladies, Thorin is a boob guy.

"Are you going to help me with the dress, or are you going to keep staring at my boobs?" I say to him, and his face gets a light blush on it for being caught.

"Can't I admire our handiwork?" He says with a hint of mischief in his voice.

"Weren't you doing that last night in bed?" I retort with a smile on my face.

A chuckle escapes him as he moves towards our bed to retrieve my dress. "There is to be another caravan arriving later this evening. Dis may be with them." He says to me as he hands me the dress.

I get my arms into elbow length sleeves before pulling it up and over my head. "Really? I get to finally meet the great lady who is your sister." As the dress pools on my bump, Thorin helps me get the material over it.

"That you will." Thorin says as he moves to my back to tie the strings in the back. "I am sure that you two will get along well together."

"I should hope so. Especially since I am gifting her with a nephew or niece."

Thorin places a kiss at the base of my neck once he is finished with his task. "I would like it if you have Kili or Bofur with you today. Fili and I will be in meetings for most of the day."

"I will make sure to have someone with me."

Thorin still likes to rub it in my face that I was alone when I was attacked three months ago. I turn to face him, and give him a kiss. We leave our apartment arm in arm, and head down the stairs to our kitchen. Fili, Kili, and Aliena are already there eating breakfast. Both boys are wearing one of their better outfits, and Aliena is dressed in a blue dress with silver trim. We eat and go over our plans for the day.

Once Thorin and Fili finish eating, they leave to attend their necessary meetings. That leaves Kili and Aliena with me. Since Aliena is still nibbling on some berries, I get up from the table. I carry the dirt dishes to the sink, and start washing them. Kili helps by grabbing a fresh towel to dry the dishes. Half way through a quick burst of pain shoots across my belly.

"Mmmhmmm." I groan out as I bend over, away from the sink.

"Mommy?" Aliena says as she rushes over to my side.

"Inara? You alright?" Kili asks as he sets down the plate that he was drying. He makes his way over to me and touches my back.

The pain is quick to recede, and I stand up straight. "I'm fine. Just another hard kick is all." So it has taken over an hour for another pain to come. 'Nothing to worry about just yet' I tell myself. I'll be damned if I let anyone know that I might be in labor. Even so, I was in labor for four days before giving birth to Aliena. There is still time for the pain intervals to become more spaced or closer together.

"Perhaps you should see Oin, Inara?" Kili says with a bit of worry in his voice.

"Nah, I'll be fine. Besides if I was to go into labor you would be able to feel it." I grab one of Kili's hands and place it on the bump. "See, there isn't any rippling of muscles. So there is no contractions, so no labor."

Kili gives me a questioning stare before letting out a sigh. "Alright, I believe you. But if that happens again, I will personally carry you to see Oin."

"All better mommy?" Aliena asks as she takes my hand.

"I'm alright, sweetheart. Nothing to worry about. How about we take you to lessons now?"

"Okay mommy." Aliena says to me as she runs out of the kitchen.

"Someone is in a hurry today." Kili says as he removes his hand from my bump. "Shall we leave the dishes for later?"

"We can always finish them later this evening." I reply as I start to walk away from the sink.

Kili is follows me out of the kitchen, and soon the three of us are leaving the king's family halls. As we walk through Erebor, many of the dwarves bow when we pass them. Some of them even give me their well wishes on the impending birth of my child. As we pass through the market halls, Bofur and Bifur wave us over from their toy stand.

"Bofur!" Aliena shouts as she goes running ahead of Kili and me.

"Well if it isn't the little lass." Bofur says as he picks up Aliena.

Bifur does a few gestures and lets out a few words in the dwarven language.

"We were just taking her down to the library for her lessons with Ori." Kili says to Bifur.

"Ahh that sounds like fun." Bofur says before making a face at Aliena. She lets out a chuckle and gives him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Aliena, we shouldn't keep master Ori waiting." I say to her.

"We will see each other later tonight. Be a good lass, and do your lessons." Bofur says to Aliena as he sets her back down onto the ground.

We say a quick goodbye to Bofur and Bifur before continuing on our way down to the library. Ori is waiting for us at the door, and Aliena gives me a quick goodbye as she follows him into the library.

"So where are we going today, Inara?" Kili asks me as he takes my arm.

"Thorin wanted me to see Oin, so that is where we will head to next." I reply, and so we begin to head towards the halls of healing.

Oin is waiting there for us when we get there. It takes Oin about an hour to do an exam, and during that time I don't have any pains. He gives me the all clear, but to take it easy.

For the rest of the day Kili and I wander the markets, jewelers, and other proprietor shops. Kili stops at a small bakery to pick up a light lunch for us, but I have no appetite. Around mid-afternoon, we make our way back towards the library to retrieve Aliena from her lessons. The three of us make our way down to the kitchens. Aliena and Kili sample some bits of the food that Bombur is willing to give us. I try to sample some as well, but nothing tastes good. That is where Fili finds us.

"A caravan has arrived!" Fili shouts as he runs into the kitchens.

"Is amad with them?" Kili asks Fili in a joyful voice.

"I don't know, but uncle is heading down to the gate to greet them. We wants us all down there." Fili says as he walks over to Aliena. "Would you like a lift?"

Aliena lets out a squeal of delight as she jumps into Fili's arms. "Onwards my noble stead!" She yells out.

Bombur and the other cooks all start to laugh at Aliena's outburst. Kili also lets out a howl of laughter at his brother's face. I am about to laugh as well, but a pain shoots across my belly. Quickly I mask my discomfort so that no one notices.

The pain passes rather quickly, and then it is gone. I quickly gather my wits and speak.

"We best be making our way to the gate then." I turn to look at Bombur and the other cooks. "I look forward to tasting the fine meal that you all are making."

Bombur and the cooks all bow at my words before returning to their work.

Fili, with Aliena in his arms, leads Kili and myself to the gate. Waiting for us is Thorin with Balin and Dwalin.

"Is it amad's caravan?" Kili asks Thorin as he moves towards the entrance.

"We don't know laddie." Balin answers Kili.

Thorin makes his way over to me, and places a hand to my belly. "You look tired, Inara. Have you seen Oin today?"

"I did. He still isn't sure when our child will be arriving." I answer Thorin before giving him a quick kiss.

"You should go rest before the feast." Thorin says as he tries to embrace me. However, it is only a semi-embrace since my bump keeps us from getting close.

"Thorin." Dwalin says from his place next to Balin.

Thorin lets go of our embrace so that he can greet his people. I watch from where I am standing as a few of the dwarrows are greeted by Thorin. Balin and Dwalin also go and greet their kinsmen. As I watch the scene before me, another pain hits me. Again I attempt to keep my face from showing my discomfort. Thankfully it passes, and I am pleased that no one has noticed.

Kili rushes back to Fili's side with disappointment on his face. "Amad isn't with them."

"She will be on the next on Kili." Fili says as he adjusts his hold on Aliena. On our way here, she fell asleep in Fili's arms.

We stand there for about an hour or so before Balin and Thorin allow the caravan to enter Erebor. Many of the dwarrows walk between the boys and me as they make their ways into the halls. During this mass movement another pain hits me again, and this time is so strong that I hunch over. It lasts a little longer than the others as well. I take several deep breaths to help manage the pain. Once it passes, I stand up again.

To my knowledge no one noticed my moment of pain, which leaves me feeling a bit happy yet worried.

After the last of the caravan enters the halls, Thorin suggests that we all make our way to the dining halls. He takes my arm in his, and with the others following, we make our way to the dining halls.

The feast begins the moment Thorin and I arrive, and it has lasted now for five hours. During the five hours, the pain has coming at least three times an hour, and is lasting longer as well. Like before, I take deep breaths to manage the pain, and keep a straight face so I don't worry anyone. Unlike most women who experience childbirth, I never screamed in pain. As the last of the current pain subsides, I excuse myself to use the toilet.

I make it down eight hallways, and three flights of stairs before the next pain hits. I brace myself against the wall of the hallway that I am currently in. I feel a trickle of fluid run down my leg, and I know now that I am in active labor.

"Damn it!" I growl out as the pain continues to build in my belly. This is the longest contraction so far, and I have counted nine deep breaths before it lets up.

I know that I have to make my way to either the halls of healing or to the king's family halls. As I start to walk another contraction hits me, and my legs start to buckle under the pain. There is now a pressure pushing down in a not so great spot.

"Of course you want to come out now. Why wait for help?" I growl out through the pain, and I try hard not to push. This means I must have been in labor longer than I thought, or that this labor is going to be much faster than what I had with my daughter.

The pain lessens again, and I press my back against the wall. My legs are shaking, and it takes all of my will power to keep me from sliding down to the floor.

"Inara?" Fili's voice echoes down the hallway.

I turn my head, and can see him and Kili jogging towards me.

"You alright?" Kili asks me as another contraction hits me.

The pressure builds below again, and I growl out to them. "Get me into a room now." I take a deep breath before continuing. "The baby is coming and it isn't going to wait for Oin to show up." I let out a low moan as the pressure and pain recede.

"One of us should go back to the feast to fetch Oin." Kili says in a panicked voice.

"There is no time." I say breathily. "Don't argue with me, and help me get into a nearby room before another contraction hits."

Both Fili and Kili take one of my arms, and help me move towards one of the doors in the hallway. Fili opens it up to reveal that it is an unoccupied office. Another contractions hits once we are inside, and the pressure builds to the point where my body will no longer fight against it. Poor boys are most likely scared to death, so I must take charge.

"Kili. I need you to stand behind me, and help hold me up under the arms, Keep me in a standing position, it will help with the birth. Fili, I need you to use one of your knives and cut the skirt of my dress from mid-thigh down to the floor." I groan out as I try to keep myself from pushing.

Neither of them argue with me, and it isn't long till Kili has his arms underneath my arms and crossed over my chest. I grip his hands with my own, and hold onto them tightly. The pain subsides yet again, and I know that we only have a short window. Fili has cut my skirt like I told him to, and is now looking at me with a white face.

"Fili. Fili look at me." Shout at him, and he looks right at me with a bewildered look on his face. "You're going to have to help guide the baby once the head is out." I say to him in a panting voice. Seeing that Fili is looking like he is about to faint, I shout at him again. "Listen to me, Thorin won't kill you for seeing my lady bits. He will be more occupied with wanting to see his son than to kill his nephew, okay."

Another contractions hits me, and my hands tighten around Kili's. This seems to spurn the younger brother into action.

"Brother do as she says, or Thorin and our amad will kill you for allowing our baby cousin to hit the floor." Kili says as he tries to help keep me up.

The pressure is beginning to grow again, and I adjust my legs further apart while still standing. This action causes my cut skirt to open a bit. Fili seems to rally himself together before kneeling down to the floor.

"What do I do?" Fili asks me with full blow terror in his eyes.

"You. Have. To. Look. Tell. Me. If. You. Can. See. The. Head." I growl out each word as I as I try to breathe through the built up pressure.

Fili ducks his head down for a minute, and when he raises his head up I swear that he looks like he wants to puke. "I can see the top of the head." He squeaks out after taking a big gulp of air.

"Don't you pass out on me Fili." Kili says from behind me.

The door of the office opening up pulls our attention from the task at hand. Bofur is standing in the door way with a shocked look on his face. "Am I interrupting something that I shouldn't be knowing about?"

"Bofur! Go back to the feast, and bring Oin and Thorin here. Inara is about to have the baby." Kili shouts to Bofur.

"Congratulations!" Bofur says with a smile on his face before disappearing to go fetch Oin and Thorin.

Pressure builds quickly, and the need to push becomes too great for me. I let out a loud groan, and I start to push.

"Fili! You better be ready to catch our little cousin." Kili says as he notices a change in my breathing pattern.

Fili moves closer towards me, and disappears from my sight. "I can see his face!" Fili's muffled voice says. "He looks like uncle."

"Hear that Inara. Your son will like Thorin." Kili says with joy.

"Shut. Up." I growl out, and I can feel the head slip free. "The shoulders will be next." I take a few short breaths before continuing to speak again. "You will have to help turn the baby's shoulders, Fili. Can you manage that?" I take a quick deep breath before pushing again.

I let out a very loud moan as the shoulders turn a bit as they come out. One more push is all it takes, and I can feel the tiny body slide free from me.

"It's a boy." Fili says as he slowly pulls back from where he was. In both of his hands I can see a bloody and clear fluid covered little body with the umbilical cord still attached.

"Look at that." Kili says just as the infant lets out a cry. "You did good Inara."

I let out a little sob at seeing the little babe for the first time. It has a head full of dark hair, and the trade mark dwarf ears.

"Inara!" Thorin's voice booms from the other side of the door just before it opens. Thorin rushes into the room, and comes to a stop at the sight before him.

"Get out of my way." Oin's gruff voice says from behind Thorin. The old healer makes his way over to Fili and the crying baby. He pulls out a small blade, and cuts the umbilical cord. "Thorin, give me your shirt so that we can wrap the bairn."

Thorin is quick to comply, and hands Oin his blue shirt. Oin wraps the baby up with Fili's help.

"You have a son, uncle." Fili says in sheer amazement.

"A son." Thorin whispers softly as he bends down to see our child.

I can feel the pressure coming again, and tighten the hold I have on Kili's hands.

"Hey! Something is happening again." Kili shouts to the others.

"That'll be the afterbirth." Oin says like it wasn't a big deal, and moves to the place that Fili had occupied earlier.

"No. It. Isn't." I growl out as I take a deep breath and start to push.

"What do you mean?" Thorin asks quickly as he leaves the baby in Fili's arms.

I let out a very loud moan, and try to keep taking deep breaths as I keep pushing.

"I need another shirt, or a blanket." Oin calls out from where he is. He pokes his head out and looks up at Thorin. "There is another bairn coming."

"Another?" Kili says from behind me.

Fili is quick to move, and comes over to hand Thorin our first born. "It can have my shirt." Fili passes the baby to Thorin, who awkwardly takes the whimpering infant. Quickly removing his over shirt, Fili hands it to Oin.

"That will do." Oin says as he goes back down to catch the baby.

Something feels off with this birth though. I can feel something flailing about in the birth canal, and it causes too much pain. I let out a scream, as the child moves.

"This will be harder than the other one." I can hear Oin's voice call up.

"How so?" Thorin asks, as he hands our firstborn back to Fili.

"It is a breech birth. The bairn is coming feet first."

There is a small break from the pressure, and I take several breaths. A breech birth means that this will be much harder on me. I look at Thorin and I can see worry etched upon his face.

"Is there anything we can do?" he asks Oin as he kneels down by the healer.

"I am going to have you put that leg by your shoulder up a bit. That should make enough room to help ease the bairn out." Oin explains to Thorin.

Thorin does as Oin instructs, and lifts my right leg up onto his shoulder. Then Oin tells him to slide my leg out to the side a bit. It feels like my leg is in a ninety degree angle by the time Oin tells Thorin to stop.

"Alright lass, the next contraction I want you to push." Oin says to me.

The pressure builds again, and I push with all my might. It hurts so bad that I throw my head back against Kili's left shoulder, and scream. I think I may have also broken a finger or two on one of his hands. Both Fili and Kili encourage me to keep pushing as the legs come free from my body. Taking a few quick breaths I push some more and let out another scream as the shoulders come free. An extremely loud cry fills the air as the baby's head slides free from me.

"Another son." Thorin says in awe as he watches Oin cut the cord and wrap the baby up in Fili's shirt. Thorin removes my leg from his shoulder as he takes the baby from Oin.

"Here you are, Thorin. Another healthy son." Oin says as he starts to tug on the umbilical cords to help loosen the placentas that are within.

Thorin stands up with our second son in his arms. The poor baby still hasn't quieted down like his older brother has.

"What does he look like?" Kili asks from behind me. I am too exhausted to speak a word, so I will allow Kili to speak for me.

Thorin steps closer to me and I can see another dark head full of hair on the screaming baby.

The door opens to the office, and Gloin enters the room with a large bag in his hand.

"Sorry I am late." He says as he makes his way over towards us. His eyes get big as he sees that Thorin and Fili are each holding a bundle in their arms. "Two bairns?"

"Yes, Gloin. Two sons of Durin." Thorin replies as he looks back down at the baby in his arms. At Thorin's saying of the word Durin, the baby stopped screaming and opened his eyes. This shocks Thorin that the baby responded.

"His name is Durin. For his proud heritage." I finally manage to say in a hoarse voice to Thorin. I look towards the baby that Fili is holding. "His name is Frerin. For your brother, Thorin." I let out a soft groan as I feel two thick objects leave my body.

"I suggest you take Inara somewhere she can rest, and feed the two bairns." Oin says as he stands up from the floor. In one of his hands, he is holding a bloodied up rag.

"Aye. I will help them with that." Gloin says as he moves towards me.

With Gloin on one side and Kili on the other, the two dwarves help me stumble my way out of the office and towards our family halls.

Fili and Thorin are right behind us, as we move slowly through the hallways. Once we arrive, Thorin opens the door, and we enter our home. I am helped up the stairs, and finally reach our apartment. Both Gloin and Kili help me into the room, set me down into a chair. Fili is quick to hand me little Frerin before he says his goodnights.

Thorin and I are left alone in our apartment with our newborn sons.

"I should like to clean up a bit before getting some resting." I say softly to Thorin.

"Let me help you, yâsith." Thorin says to me as the hands little Durin to me. Both of the infants are wide awake and looking right up at me. Thorin leaves me for a moment before coming back with a clean shift, and a damp cloth. He gently cleans my legs, and is careful not to touch a certain tender area. "You are still bleeding."

"You can place some towels down on the bed. It is normal for a female to bleed a few days after giving birth." I say to him with a tired smile on my face.

He heads back towards our bedroom, and places a few towels on my side of the bed. Once he is satisfied with his task, he makes his way back to where I am in the sitting room. One at a time he takes each of our sons back to our bedroom, before coming to help me stand up from the chair. He helps me walk to our bedroom, and quickly uses a dagger to cut my ruined dress and under things. Then he helps me put on the short, thigh high shift before leading me towards the bed.

I slowly set myself down onto the bed, and can see that Frerin and Durin look up at us from their spot on Thorin's side of the bed. I move a little bit into a comfortable spot, my back resting against a pillow that is propped up against the headboard.

"They will need clothes and diaper clothes." I say to Thorin. "They should be there in the top drawer of the dresser."

Thorin makes his way over to our dresser, and pulls out a few cloths and some infant baby gowns. He brings them over to the bed, and I quickly fold the cloths into makeshift diapers. Once our boys are diapered and clothed I am quick to see if they will nurse.

I open the tie at the neckline and move the material aside so that Frerin may nurse. He is quick to latch on, and Durin cries out at being left behind. So Thorin picks him up and moves across our bed to help. Durin latches on just as quick and soon both babes are eating.

"They are eating well." Thorin says to me as he watches in wonder at our boys. "You chose strong names for them."

"Of course I did." I look over at Thorin, who is still holding Durin to my chest. "Frerin looks like your little double."

Thorin lets out a chuckle at me comparing him to his son. "Durin looks a lot like you, though."

Where Frerin has the dark hair and dwarf ears like Thorin, Durin has brown hair and his ears are slightly smaller than his brothers. Both of them have Thorin's nose, but they have my lips and mouth. Both boys have the signature Durin blue eyes of their father.

"They are perfect just the way they are." I say out loud.

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**There it is folks. Just one chapter left after this, and it will take us back to the royal nursery with the kids. **

**I do hope you all have enjoyed this chapter.**

**Selene**


	22. A Coronation and a Return to the Nursery

**It sure has been a while since I posted last. I was surprised to see how many people have been reading this story. It has been an honor to share this story with you all. So here we are at the end, and I hope that I don't disappoint any of you.**

**One final note, I am debating on writing a companion story to this one. It would follow from Durin and Frerin's first birthday, and go all the way to the end of the LOTR series. However, updates would be slow (I am doing year-round college classes); and some chapters will jump ahead by about 2-10 years till the LOTR Fellowship of the Ring events. Then it would follow the LOTR story line. If you would like me to write this companion story leave a review, and if I get more than 10 reviews I will consider it. **

**Disclaimer: I don't the Hobbit or its characters, or its events.**

* * *

Three months have passed since I gave birth, and already our boys are proving to have very different personalities. Even Dis, who arrived three days after the twin's birth was quick to notice the differences. There were many times where she would tease Thorin about having to raise two sons at the same time.

Frerin proved himself to be a rather rambunctious baby from the start. He would flail his little arms and legs anytime he was being held. There is only two people who Frerin settles down for, and that is Thorin or Fili. Frerin is also very vocal, but not in a bad way. He howls whenever he is set down while awake, or if Kili winds him up. The only time Frerin isn't moving or being vocal is when he is asleep.

Durin, on the other hand is a quiet baby. He is content to just being held, but prefers to see his surroundings instead of only a face. The only time Durin cries or is vocal is when he needs changing or to be fed. The last difference is that Durin only wants to be held by me. If anyone else holds him, he mimics an infant looking Thorin scowl before turning his face dark red. Since there is never a cry, most people figure he is about to poo, and Durin is passed back to me.

Both boys have been sleeping through the night by three weeks of age. Which is exactly like how Aliena was as an infant. Dis reminds Thorin and me that we are lucky to have this luxury every day.

On this warm summer morning, the air is filled with merry making and anticipation. For later this afternoon, Thorin will be officially crowned as King Under the Mountain.

Thorin has already left our bedroom, and is currently being sequestered with Balin, Fili, Kili, and Ori. It is at my request that Ori is with them, so that he may write all of this down for future generations to read. With Thorin away in preparation, I am left alone in our room with our boys. I'm in no hurry to get dressed, so I stay in my night shift.

Frerin is sleeping in the large cradle that sits by my side of the bed. The cradle is rather large, and the twins are still small enough to sleep in it together. It was a late baby gift from Kili, Fili, and Tauriel. All three of them worked together in making it. Tauriel supplied the wood, and even helped carve the wood rails. Fili and Kili came up with the cradle design, and carved most of the wood. The cradle has carvings of both Westron, Sindarin, and Khuzdul blessings along the edges of the headboard, side rails, and another headboard. There is also intricate designs carved into the face of the headboard, and has several small rubies, emeralds, diamonds, sapphires, and amethysts pressed into the designs. On the other headboard, there is a thoughtfully carved emblem of Thorin's family line, inlaid in gold.

While Frerin sleeps, I am sitting in the small rocking chair while I nurse Durin. The little bugger woke up demanding his breakfast just a few moments after Thorin left. The expression on his face while he nurses is very adorable. His eyebrows are furrowed in concentration, while deep blue eyes stare up at me. His left arms is resting on my breast, and his right arm is playing with the edge of the royal blue blanket that Sigrid made for him.

"Easy there, my little guy or your brother will not have a meal when he wakes." I whisper to him, and I can see something light up in his eyes. Letting out a soft chuckle, I stroke the side of his cheek with a finger. Durin's reaction to the stroke is to kick out a leg before chomping his gums down. "Owww. You should know better than to bite the person who is feeding you."

A knock at the door of my bedroom pulls my attention away from the babe in my arms.

Standing in the doorway is Dis, dressed in an elegant blue dress. Her dark brown hair is braided in a way that my hair would never be able to do.

"I see you are already awake." Dis says to me with a smile on her face.

"You can come further into the bedroom Dis." I reply as Durin stops nursing. I quickly move the left side of the neckline back up to cover myself.

"May I?" Dis asks me as she holds out her hands towards Durin.

"I can't guarantee that he will allow it." I say with a smirk on my face, while Dis moves towards where I am sitting.

"I don't mind. Besides, it looks like little Frerin might be waking up." She says as I allow her to take Durin from my arms.

I hand her a burp cloth, and stand up from the rocking chair. Dis takes my place in the rocking chair, and tries to get Durin to burp at her cloth covered shoulder. A small whimper calls for my attention from the cradle. As I approach the cradle, I can see that Frerin is indeed fighting on waking up. The navy blue blanket that he is wrapped in has come undone from his movements.

"Easy there little prince." I whisper to Frerin, and I proceed to pick him up, with his blanket, out of the cradle. His eyes fly open before letting out a high pitch cry. "I know. Adad isn't here to see you wake up." I bring Frerin to my chest as I move to sit on my bed. Since Durin just about emptied the left breast, I pull the neckline down on my right side. I move Frerin so that he can nurse from the right. He latches on, and greedily starts to eat.

"Quite the appetite he has this morning."

"That he does." I tell Dis while watching my oldest nurse. He lets out a few huffs from his nose, and flails his left arm.

"Kili was the same way as a bairn. Always in a hurry to get his meal from me. Fili was more like Durin here. Never fully demanding his meals. I never thought that Thorin would ever settle down, and start a family. Especially after all that he has been through." Dis is stroking Durin's back, and is slowly rocking the chair. The babe at her shoulder has his head turned towards me, and I can see his deep blue eyes watching me.

"After all I had been through with having Aliena, I never thought I would have any other babies. Mahal works in mysterious ways." I look at Dis who has a large smile on her face. We both chuckle a bit before I hear the door to my apartment open.

"Dis. Is Inara almost ready?" Dwalin's voice calls out from the living room area.

"She is nursing little Frerin at the moment." Dis calls back. She gets up from the rocking chair, and takes Durin with her to the doorway of the bedroom.

"Ahhh, so there is one of the two smallest recruits." Dwalin says. I can't see Dwalin, but one of his hands comes through the doorway to touch Durin on the head.

"If you had your way, Dwalin, this little one would already be starting his training." Dis says with mirth in her voice.

"Aye. It is never too early to start training." Dwalin replies. What he says next to Dis I don't hear, but a heavy red blush covers her cheeks.

"Will you two stop your flirting in front of my son." I call out to the two of them. Frerin hearing my voice kicks his legs, and begins to squirm.

"I suggest you get ready soon, Inara. The coronation ceremony will be starting in a few short hours." I hear Dwalin's voice growl out.

"I will once this wiggle worm decides he is finished with his meal." I answer back.

"I will be waiting for you both in the hall." Dwalin says before leaving.

Dis makes her way back towards my bed. She places Durin onto the middle of the bed on his back. The twins have yet to roll over; so as long as someone is watching them it is okay. Once Durin is placed on the bed, Dis makes her way over to the wardrobe. She pulls out the dress that Thorin had some of the seamstresses make for me. It is the same blue color as the dress Dis is wearing, but mine has Thorin's emblem on the bodice of the dress in silver.

"Would you like to bathe before getting ready?"

"Once this one is done eating." I glance down to see that Frerin is not willing to stop anytime soon.

"Of course." Dis nods, and takes my dress into the bathing room.

Durin starts to whimper from his place on the bed. Being as gentle as I can, I pull on the top bed sheets, and slowly the sheets bring Durin towards me. As he gets closer towards me, he stops his whimpering at seeing me.

"My little warrior. Where you looking for your mama?" I say at my second son. He gives me a little coo in response, and I hear Dis gasp from the doorway of the bathing room.

"Did he just coo?" She asks me all the while looking Durin.

"He did." I say with a smile on my face. I give my little boy a smile. "Just wait till your Adad hears you, my clever boy."

At this point, Frerin becomes jealous and stops nursing. He lets out a few half-hearted whimpers, and I move him towards my left shoulder. I quickly cover my right side before attempting to burp Frerin. On the second soft tap to his back, he lets out a loud burp.

"How about you two boys keep each other preoccupied while mama gets cleaned up." I say to both of my boys as I lean over to place them next to each other on the bed. Once Frerin sees his brother, he lets out a short scream, and flails all of his limbs. Durin gives a soft coo sound to Frerin, and it becomes a back and forth game between the two boys.

Dis and I laugh at their antics before I head into the bathing room to wash up; leaving Dis to watch the boys.

I take my time in the bath paying close attention to cleaning my hair. Once I am certain that my hair is thoroughly washed, I begin to clean my body with the same amount of care. After spending a good amount of time bathing, I decide that I am done. Getting up out of the bath, I reach for a large towel and wrap it around me. I carefully make my way towards my vanity, and sit down on the small stool. Starting with my hair, I run the brush through it. After I finish brushing my hair, I start to get dressed. A long shift followed by a corset makes their way onto my body. I don't have to worry about tying it since Dis already had it where I like it. The last piece is my dress, which I carefully pull over my head. My arms find their way into the sleeves, and all that is left is the ties in the back.

"Would you like some help?" I hear a low baritone voice come from behind me.

I turn to see Thorin standing directly behind me. "Shouldn't you be preparing for your coronation?" I ask him, turning away so that he can tie the back of my dress.

"I have prepared the best I can. Besides, I wanted to see you before the ceremony." Thorin says to me as he begins to tie the back of my dress.

"So I see. Durin woke up not long after you left this morning, which is a first for him. It is usually Frerin who wakes first." I feel a slight tug near the base of my spine as Thorin makes a small bow out of the cord.

"That is odd. I take it Durin also got his breakfast before Frerin." He asks me as his arms wrap around my waist to pull me into his chest. He starts a trail of kisses from the back of my neck to the side of my neck.

"Down boy. You promised me at least two years before we have any more." I let a smirk cross my face as I hear him let out a heavy sigh. "But that doesn't mean we can't practice. I just have to ask Tauriel for more contraceptive herbs, and keep good track of my cycles."

"I am almost regretting making that promise." Thorin whispers against the skin along my collarbone.

"Brother! I asked you to check on Inara, not seduce her." Dis yells from the bedroom.

Both Thorin and I chuckle before coming out of the bathing room. Looks like a few more people have come into our bedroom.

Dressed in his best as an heir to throne is Fili; and in his arms, Fili is holding his heir, Frerin. Kili, also dressed in his best, is standing next to his mother. Dis is holding Durin in her arms; and Kili is making faces at his little cousin. Both of our boys are dressed in their best, which consists of tunics and pants befitting their status as princes. Thorin and I had already agreed that it would be best to bring along their blankets with them.

"Since when has our bedroom become an office space?" I ask Thorin as we walk further into our bedroom.

"It hasn't. What are you two doing here?" Thorin asks Kili and Fili.

Fili looks at Thorin and I with a small smile on his face. "Balin sent us to come fetch you, Uncle. There is only a short time till the start of ceremony."

"I see." Thorin sighs heavily. "Let us go then, or else Balin will no doubt send a search party."

Thorin offers me his arm, and I take it. The two of us leave our apartment with Fili following right behind us. Dis and Kili take up the rear of our moving family unit. Dwalin stands there in the main hall of the Kings Family Halls.

"About time you all came out." Is all Dwalin says to us before opening the doors that lead out to the many corridors of Erebor.

We traverse the corridors and walkways that will lead us to where Balin is waiting for us. We run into the few dwarves that have yet to make their way down to the Hall of Kings. They all smile and bow as we walk passed them. I give them smiles in return, and even a quick bow of my own head. When I do this, I catch Thorin smiling at me from out of the corner of my eye.

Once we get closer to the Hall of Kings, Ori and Balin come around the corner.

"You need to get ready, Thorin." Balin says as he gestures towards one of the rooms that sit in the hallway.

Thorin leans over, and gives my cheek a kiss. "I will see you soon." He moves to give each of our sons a kiss on the forehead before leaving with Balin.

"You need to get ready as well, Inara." Ori says as he approaches me. "If you and the lady Dis would follow me please."

"What about Frerin and Durin?" I ask quickly.

"They will be fine with us." Fili says as Kili takes little Durin from Dis.

"What's the worst that could happen?" Kili says to me with a smile on his face.

In that moment, Durin decides that he isn't happy being held by Kili. The little dwarfling's face is starting to turn red, and I know that look. I move quickly to take Durin from Fili before my youngest son decides to do anything else. Once he is in my arms, Durins' face goes back to its normal color.

"You were saying?" I ask Kili.

"Perhaps we should take the little ones with us." Ori says quickly as he tries to draw my attention towards another room.

Fili is reluctant to hand Frerin to Dis, but does so anyways. It is amazing that Fili has become so close to Frerin. The poor boy just about fainted while I was giving birth, and yet you wouldn't know it by looking at him now. He is a total natural when it comes to handling his little cousin. Kili on the other hand needs a little more supervision when he handles my sons, but I have faith in him.

Ori leads Dis and myself into the room where Gloin's wife, Skuld, and a few other dwarrowdams are waiting.

"We have been waiting for you." Skuld says as she and the others bow before me.

"Please, there is no need for you all to bow to me." I say to the group, and I can hear Dis chuckling behind me.

"You really are ignorant of our ways, Inara. They bow to you because you are to be crowned as queen today." Dis says as she walks past me. "Ladies, let us help our new queen prepare."

Ori comes over to me and takes Durin from me before the ladies swarm me. I am forced to be primped; and my hair done in such an elaborate style that it could rival Natalie Portman's Star Wars character's hair styles. All the while this is happening, Dis and Ori with the twins aren't far.

Once they are done, my hair has many braids and jeweled beads running through it. The only braids that are left alone are the two that Thorin had placed in my hair. Skuld and ladies step away from me, and admire their handiwork. The multiple braids and loose hair have been pulled back, and are held in place by a clasp. Only the two braids from Thorin are pulled forward so that the ends are resting against my bosom.

"You are ready." Skuld says with a large smile that could rival her husband's.

"You are forgetting one thing though, Skuld." Dis says as she opens the door to the office.

Dori, Bofur, and Bifur enter the room. The three of them are carrying a long piece of blue fabric that is lined with fur. The step up to where I am sitting in the middle of the room; and proceed to place one end of the fabric on my shoulders. Bofur steps in front of me and clasps the edge of the fabric together.

"Your royal train, Athanu men." Bofur says before him, Dori, and Bifur bow to me.

The ladies all leave the room, and it is just Dis, Dori, Bifur, Bofur, Ori, Frerin, and Durin with me now. Bofur takes Durin from Dis as she makes her way to help me stand up from my seat. She is quick to brush out the train from any dirt or rouge strand of fabric.

A knock at the door pulls our attention, and Balin comes in. He is dressed up in elaborate red robes, and some of his hair has been braided as well.

"Everything is ready." Balin gives me an once-over before nodding in approval. "You look radiant, Inara."

"Thank you, my friend." I reply. "It's time, isn't it."

"It is. Thorin has asked me to come and get you." Balin answers. He walks over to me, and offers me his arm.

I take his arm, and he leads me out of the room with Dis, my boys, and the others following behind me. He takes me to the doors of the main entrance. Standing there before the closed doors is Aliena with Kili, Fili, and Thorin.

"Mommy!" Aliena shouts to me. Her hair has been done in multiple little braids, and I can see that three of them are being held together by one of Kili's hair clasps. "You look beautiful. Like a queen."

"She will be after today, hôfukel." Thorin says to Aliena. It looks like he too was primped and done up as well. Besides his normal two braids, the braids I placed in his hair have joined them so that they are prominently seen. The rest of this loose hair has been pulled back and clasped. He too has a royal train of blue fabric lined with fur attached over his shoulders.

"Today is the day you and Aliena join our family." Fili says with a smile on his face, and takes Frerin into his arms.

"She has been in our family since uncle first laid eyes on Inara." Kili says with a smirk on his face and takes Durin into his arms.

"I hate to bring this good will to an end, but we had best get started." Balin says before he and the others from the company go to enter the Hall of the Kings.

Thorin and I stand together near the main door, and I take his offered arm. Behind us, Fili and Frerin will follow us since Fili is Thorin's heir, and Frerin is Fili's. Next it is Kili and Durin who are behind Fili and Frerin. Bringing up the end of our processional is Dis with Aliena.

As the doors to the Hall of the Kings opens, a deafening roar comes from all who are attending. As our processional begins, I notice that not only are their dwarves here, but Bard and his family, Tauriel, Gandalf, and Radagast are here as well. At the end of the Hall of the Kings I can see Balin, Dwalin, and Ori standing at the top of a small, raised platform. There are a few stairs so that Thorin and I can ascend up to them.

Once we reach the stairs, Dis and Aliena stay at the bottom with Kili and Durin. Only Fili and Frerin follow Thorin and I up the few steps, then step to the left so that he isn't in the way. Balin approaches us and all becomes in the hall. He speaks in the dwarves' language, and when he becomes silent Thorin replies in the same language. It was explained to me a few days ago, that Thorin will be asked to reply to questions about how he will rule. The same will be asked of me, but in Westron (or English if you will).

With the questions answered Thorin kneels to the ground, and Balin places the king's crown upon his Thorin's head. Balin then comes to stand in front of me.

"How will you treat your king?" He asks me.

"With respect, honor, trust, and love." I answer back.

"How will you treat your people?"

"With dignity, respect, honor, compassion, and justly."

"Will you obey and respect the laws of the Khazâd?"

"With all of my heart and soul." I didn't exactly tell Balin ahead of time how I was going to respond to this question, and he looks a bit shocked with my answer.

Balin gives me a small, barely noticeable gesture that signals me to kneel, and so I kneel on the ground. Dwalin comes forward, and Balin moves to stand before Thorin. He speaks again in the dwarven language, and Thorin replies. After the reply, Balin has Thorin rise from the ground, and hands Thorin the queen's crown. I keep still as Thorin makes his way over to stand before me. He places the crown upon my head, and helps me rise from the ground. He moves to stand next to me as I turn so that the both of us now face the crowd. Thorin shouts something in the language again, and the crowds begin to cheer and chant.

The rest of the day becomes a whirlwind of feasting, drinking, dancing, and yes even some games. It is hard to believe that I am know a queen to these dwarves, and that my old life from the other world is no more.

* * *

Inara is lost in her memory that she doesn't notice that Aliena has stopped telling the part of the story that has the trolls. What pulls the queen back to the here and now, are two strong arms wrapping themselves around her middle from behind.

"Holy shit!" Inara whispers in shock, but knows who has her by his soft chuckles.

"What has my queen out of bed this late?" Thorin whispers to the woman in his arms.

"The kids were awake, but it seems as if one of Aliena's stories has put them to sleep again." Inara whispers to her king as she turns in his arms so that she can face him.

"And why were the kids awake this late?" Thorin asks before placing a kiss on Inara's cheek.

"I think young Freya was the culprit this time." Inara whispers. "However, Aliena is going to be needing help with getting the kids all back into bed. Perhaps we should help her with this task."

Thorin lets out a sigh before releasing his wife from his arms. He allows her to lead the way into the royal nursery.

Aliena stands from the rocking chair with a sleeping Freya in her arms. "Mom. Papa." She says softly so she doesn't wake up the sleeping kids.

"Are you in need of assistance, Hôfukel?" Thorin says softly as he makes his way over to the sleeping form of Frerin on the floor. Thorin picks up his oldest son before heading back to the shared bedroom of Frerin and Durin's. He places his son in one of the beds, and places a blanket over him. Thorin still finds it hard to believe that his son is growing up. Inara and Thorin have been trying to have other children, but since the loss of a pregnancy two years ago both of them are only focusing on the twins and Aliena.

"Don't worry, sweetie. We will help get them all back into bed." Inara says to her daughter. It still amazes her how fast time has passed since her and Aliena first arrived. As Inara scoops up Durin she can't help but wish to give Thorin another child. Yet Inara still hasn't fully come to terms with losing a pregnancy, and doesn't want to risk another heartbreak. Her thoughts are in turmoil as she places her son back into his bed. As she covers Durin with his blankets, her husband leaves the boy's bedroom.

Meanwhile, Aliena takes the sleeping Freya to the joint bedroom of Freya and Balder. Soon Thorin enters the room with Balder in his arms. Aliena gently tucks three edges of a blanket into the sides of the crib making sure that Freya is comfortable and warm. Once her task is complete, she watches the king tuck in his nephew's son into bed.

As Aliena comes back into the main room of the nursery, Inara exits the twins' bedroom. Both mother and daughter share a smile as they move towards the sleeping Kelda and Toril. They pick the sleeping girls up from the floor, and take them into their shared bedroom. Thorin stands at the doorway of the two girl's room, and watches as his wife and daughter tuck his nieces into bed.

After all of the young children are in bed, Aliena and her parents leave the royal nursery. They walk a short distance with Aliena to her small apartment's door.

"Goodnight mom and papa." Aliena tells her parents as she opens the door.

"Goodnight Hôfukel." Thorin says to her with a smile on his face.

"Have pleasant dreams sweetie." Inara says as she gives her daughter a hug and kiss goodnight.

Once Aliena is back in her apartment, Inara and Thorin walk back to their apartment hand in hand.

* * *

**There is it folks, it is complete. The royal train were worn by Thorin and Inara was inspired by a scene from the White Queen mini-series. However I changed the colors of the trains to blue. **

**If you are wanting some of the back story of the Inara and Thorin's loss, that is part of the companion story to this one. Like I said at the beginning of this final chapter, leave a review letting me know if you would be interested in reading the companion piece. **

**You all have been truly wonderful, and it was a pleasure diving into the Tolkien lore for this story. I hope the story was satisfactory. **


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